Old or the new?
My best friend thinks ebay is the greatest invention ever. In fact, when reading Leonardo's Laptop on the future of businesses, all the major points brought up in the book were already put in practice by ebay. Ebay is currently one of the largest websites online. It's really quite ingenious. You can find great bargains (I bought a brand-new with tags BCBG dress once), shop for companies that aren't in the local area, and best of all make money off some old clothes you otherwise were going to donate to the Salvation Army. It's a large yard sale you never need to leave your computer for. It is also another form of ubiquitous technology which is seemingly perfect and most of all efficient.
Ebay comes with a system which gives you stars after every purchase and sell. Your “business partners” leave you feedback based on their experience with you and if you are questioning the integrity of someone, you can simply look up their feedback score and see what percentage of positive feedback they have and what others have said about them. People pay first, and then receive their item in roughly 2-3 weeks. Perfect right?
Unfortunately, as some mentioned in class, e-commerce takes away the personal relationship that exists with face-to-face contact. Because your perception of the item is based on the seller’s description and picture provided, what you think you’re buying could be misconstrued into something else. Additionally, many users steal their pictures so that the picture you see is not the actual item in their possession but the “perfect” commercial picture taken by million dollar companies. Another major fault is that because you can’t actually see the items up close, many times they are frauds. Furthermore, some users have found a way to conceal their feedback which takes away from the foundation of integrity.
I still purchase from ebay even with all the faults at hand. It should serve as an example of future technology. Most people either take an extreme position when envisioning future technology. Some believe that technology will provide great opportunity in increasing the efficiency of our lives and of also ameliorating all the small problems we run into everyday. Others are bitter and maybe even scared. They envision an A.I world overcome with robots and where their sense of control is lost and overrun.
Ebay can prove an example that technology IS a great benefit. It can be quick, efficient, help save money, and save time. Yet we must also realize that as some problems are relieved, other problems also arise. Cellphones are another great example of this. They have saved many lives with quick 911 calls and post-car accidents. They save time and help us to multi-task our hectic lives. Yet they have also been an increasing cause of car-accidents and frequently interrupt at inappropriate times (ie. School, church, work).
So then which is better? The old life or the new? Why are we so eager to move ahead when the problems being answered are only overcome by an equal set of more problems?
Comments
Posted by: Suzy Kark
Posted on: October 17, 2005 01:01 PM
AHHH I am obsessed with Ebay...and not in a good way. It has turned into a leisure activity; whenever I am bored I somehow find myself on Ebay spending copious amounts of money buying dresses for no particular occasion, etc. Ebay is such a huge market for pretty much everything...houses, cars, property, apparel, consumer electronics...it has encompassed almost all the aspects of daily life, and that is one of the reasons it is so successful. Also, the "rules" and organization of ebay reflect the direct interaction of economics and human interaction.
Posted by: Maria Yelich
Posted on: December 1, 2005 07:02 PM
I too have found myself spending way too much time on Ebay. It happens every so often... when I see a friend shopping on the site, when I am looking for an obscure item, or when I am looking for something cheap. In all honesty though, most of the items I purchase through EBay I could probably do without... or find elsewhere when I am out and socializing with people... and not behind my laptop.