Discusses the development of several technological systems and how they each hold an impact on society. In her recount of the development of the US railroad system, she notes that as the development of the US railroad system exploded, it had increasing effects on society. Commodity markets developed. Transportation became feasible. Even more, and perhaps most influential, a system of four time zones helped to ensure unified schedules (Winston & Edelbach, 2012).

With this emphasis about the dependence that technology can put upon a society, how do you see influence upon a society factoring into a definition? What about proliferation?