Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution Summary

A) “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution: Images of Technology and the Nature of Change”, by Cynthia L. Selfe, is a confusing piece of writing that i had to reread multiple times in order to grasp its idea. Technology has commonly been linked to social change since the technology itself is always changing. Some people have accepted these changes yet others are frightened by it. Those who accept it hope technology will make people more productive and responsible to the world. There are three narratives about change in this text: the “Global Village” and the “Electronic Colony”, “Land of Equal Opportunity” and “Land of Difference”, and “The Un-gendered Utopia” and “The Same Old Gendered Stuff.”

The “Global Village” and the “Electronic Colony” narrative is one of the most popular narratives the Americans believe, it states that technology will bring people of the world together and allow them to communicate with one another and work together for the greater good. This narrative also states that technology will eliminate geological borders, racial differences and ethnic differences. It appeals to Americans at a romantic level but it also terrifies us. We hold 20% of the world’ population yet we consume 80% of the world’s resources. This narrative, if it comes true, will take our privileged lifestyles and equally disperse the resources around the world. We are not ready for these changes that Global Village will require. Selfe then gives sample advertisements that appeal to the Global Village narrative, yet are tweaked to make them comfortable to us.

The second narrative is the “Land of Equal Opportunity” and “Land of Difference” narrative. This narrative is Americans’ second favorite. It states that the world of technology, especially the internet, is equal and fair to everyone. It is available to anybody and everybody. It reminds us about our country, America. Founded of the principles of fairness and determination, America is open to all citizens no matter what race, gender, or social status. We fancy ourselves as the symbol of democracy and we were for a time. We are concerned for the less fortunate. That is why this narrative appeals to us.

The third narrative is “The Un-gendered Utopia” and “The Same Old Gendered Stuff.” This narrative tells us that technology can be used to demolish the gender barriers in our society. It urges teachers and professors to work with computers to create new opportunities for any student of either gender. People still believe this narrative even though it has been proven wrong so many times. Men use computers differently and more frequently than women do. Yet this narrative continues to captivate us.

B) One claim that Selfe makes in her writing, “Finally, the 1990s retro series offers Americans the role of seductress - also a traditionally defined role for women, and one that has retained enormous strength even in cyberspace where change is expected to affect so many areas of our lives.(p. 315)” What Selfe is claiming is that the role of seductress hasn’t changed even in the internet where you would expect gender roles to change. She gives evidence in the form of advertisements. One ad features a seductress clinging on to a TV. The other ad is a woman staring into a computer monitor with no keyboard or mouse to interact with the monitor with. The only role of the woman was to basically just look good.

Another claim that she makes is, “The revision of the un-gendered Utopia into the Same Old Gendered Stuff narrative deals no less traditionally with men’s roles, it should be noted.(p. 317)” What Selfe is saying here is that men are given specific roles too. In the job, men are traditionally seen as the same tie-and-oxford look. At home, though, they have the roles of bikers, nerds, and sex maniacs. Her evidence is in advertisements. Four ads feature men in their workplace who look confident and in charge. The other ads have turned guys into bikers and nerds and generally violent people. Not literally though.