This paper is an examination of four environmental forces that have brought about social change: technological innovation (the Internet), economic meltdown (the current housing crisis), ideological imposition (the attacks of 9/11), and the environment itself (Hurricane Katrina). It considers how in each case a powerful change in the surrounding circumstances altered the way in which the social structure operates in America. Each challenged society's values, coping mechanisms, ability to process information, and personal interactions, among many other constructs, and had transformative effects such that it is nearly impossible now to remember how things were before.
Change itself is a constant, even in the most stable, closed society. While it is a natural human tendency to resist change, it is also out of the question. Societies "are increasingly challenged to both respond to and anticipate continuously changing competitive, market, technological, economic, and social conditions to the point where change is described as the 'new normal'" (Buono Kerber 4). The context in which society functions continues to evolve and morph, and a wide variety of environment forces are always at work.
One such force is that of technological innovation, most notably the prevalence of the Internet, with its ability to connect people around the globe, access vast quantities of information and resources, and shop and bank from home. Zwick and Bryant observe, "Personal computers did not even exist in 1970, but by 2003 . . . 54.7 percent of American households had a computer with Internet access" (74). Bloggers have changed journalism, YouTube producers have changed entertainment, e-mailers have changed letter-writing and phone calls, and technology has altered the way people communicate. Harriford and Thompson write, "With the explosion of the information age, people are constantly bombarded with images . . . so much so that it is easy, ...