The 1980s saw an unprecedented rise in technology as mobile phones from Motorola, personal computers, the Internet, and much more became commercially available for the first time. The first mobile phone call was recorded in 1983, the same year that “Word Processor of the Gods” was published. More and more technological advances were integrated into the daily life of the average consumer. Personal computers, frequently referred to as word processors, also experienced explosive growth, transitioning from machines for specialists and programmers to consumer products. The IBM PC, launched in 1981, became the dominant computer for professional users.

With this phenomenon came the philosophical debate about the uses, power, consequences, and limitations of technology. Many critics warned of a society becoming a slave to technology and its potential ability to change the fate of the human race. Cyberpunk emerged as a genre in 1982, a subgenre of dystopian science fiction that juxtaposes high-tech societies with devalued human life. There were also technological optimists, who believed that the benefits of technology outweighed the cons. This duality is captured in the ads for the first Macintosh computers with the slogan “[Y]ou’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984,” referring to George Orwell’s novel about a

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now