Technology and Society

In contemplating the impact of technology on society, it is easy to quickly come up with several dramatic improvements. Life expectancy and quality are the two primary headings under which we could place many examples of technology's positive influence on the lives of mankind. And as we progress unabated on an exponential path toward an unknown point, perhaps an asymptote, it is easy to get swept up in the glorious rush of new technology. The business cycle has gotten so short that a device that you've purchased in a fit of "gotta-have-it" could be made virtually obsolete while its still in transit on the UPS truck. Well, perhaps that's a bit hyperbolic, but we're getting there!

There is a problem, I believe, in the direction we are headed. This problem is certainly not with the expansion of technology in general, but probably more localized to consumer electronics. The problem is two-fold in my estimation. A society that values PS3's, iPods, iPads, iPhones, Google phones, etc. as strongly as ours does is in danger of losing sight of some of the more important aspects of what it means to be a member of a society. I'm talking on the small scale about things as simple as the reduction in human interaction brought on by video games and the like. The iPad, which came out yesterday, seems to be a perfect example of this. This device appears to serve the sole purpose of being another shiny way to pump content into our minds. Another revenue stream for the consumption of entertainment via the iTunes store. Another bridge we can use to further shut out the rest of the world in favor of what appears before us on our screens. This, not specifically the iPad, could have grave consequences for our society going forward. To limit human interaction in this way is to progress the ease of dehumanization. Respect for our fellow man comes from our getting to know him. It is shown time and time again that irrational fear or hatred can be dispelled simply by sitting down and talking to one another. I fear that this process will grow increasingly rare as we are increasingly tethered to machines designed to distract us.

The second aspect of this problem is perhaps tied to the first, insofar as the dehumanizing process of decreased interaction can have grave consequences for the particularly vulnerable among our society. While we live relatively charmed lives that find us capable of clamoring after the newest gadgets or keeping up on the latest trends via intense blog study, the members of society who cannot afford such luxuries are pushed even further to the edges. Some may point out that the amount of money raised for Haiti was an example of the opposite, but I would say that such an outpouring was made easier by technology, and it made it easier to keep the reality of the situation in Haiti at arms length. The earthquake was just the last of a long line of terrible hardships brought upon the people there, and no number of millions of dollars is going to fix what is at the core of the problem in that country. And even within our own country, the disparities between rich and poor grow, undoubtedly to some extent because of a difference in technological access.

Ultimately, I don't want to come off as sounding overly pessimistic about our society's future. But I do think that we would benefit from finding moments to liberate ourselves from the constant stream of media that is finding new ways to enter our lives every day. And find a way to liberate ourselves from the revenue stream that counts all of our wallets as tributaries. Think of what else could be done to make our society a better place with even a fraction of that money. Stop and smell the roses if you will. And, equally important is to take a moment to reflect on the plight of those that have not been given the type of opportunities that we enjoy, and try to figure out a way to help, no matter how small.