A theme that appears over and over in discussions about technology is whether or not technology is the cause of major social, cultural, political, and economic changes in modern society. Of course, we can find many, many examples of technologies associated with enormous social changes. The popular media is filled with similar examples of new technologies that are going to change everything, from computers to nanotechnologies to new medical devices.
Technological determinism comes in different forms.
Other scholars reject determinism altogether. Instead of technology driving social change, they argue that social forces shape technologies. And most often, these groups select and sponsor those technologies which work to keep them wealthy and powerful, and to keep others dependent and vulerable. A third group tries to capture the truth found in both these positions. Technological systems evolve over time, growing more complex and interconnected.