Technology. Help or hinderance?

Technology is one of the biggest developments in the history of mankind. With it the world that we know is constantly changing. Mankind in many instances is judged on its progress in technology.

From the camera, the light bulb, the engine, the computer, flight, and many more innovations throughout time, we invent more and more fascinating technologies( the latest i know about, are the self-driving car, bio-metrics, remotely controlling space crafts on Mars).

Technology has helped us in immeasurable ways, but at the same time it has hindered us in other ways.

If we look at the areas where technology has benefited mankind: health( health monitors, ECG,s, pacemakers), transport (most vehicles nowadays have computerized management), work (e-mail, video conferencing, mobile phones), in the home( computerize appliances, and internet controlled heating and home management systems).

All of the above things, and more, have advanced the way we live.

By contrast, lets look at some of the things which could be argued, have had the opposite effect.

The car was a revolution when it was 1st invented. Movement of people and goods. Sport. Jobs. Industry. All of things were a direct result of the car. With the car came engines, which produce smoke, fumes, and burn gasoline. As a consequence we have the polution and emmissions problems which affect air quality among other things.

Computers have revolutionized the way we live but have also resulted in a backwarda step as far as social interaction is concerned. The virtual world is well and truly here and we don’t need to know real people, we make friends with their virtual counterparts.

Cellphones have also resulted in ‘the selfie’ and the ‘texting while doing everything, including driving. I have just read an article about a truck driver who has been jailed for causing an accident by texting while driving.

The internet has many dark sites, known as the ‘dark web’ along with access to just about anything we desire. Sex, pornography, and terrorism sites are living among us as part of our daily interaction.

Space travel has, in my opinion seen man spend far more than he should have. The vast sums of money spent on space exploration since the early days, could have produced so much good for man on his own planet. Poverty, social injustices, crime, employment, to name a few things which could have benefitted from the hundreds of billions of dollars spent.

Cloning has produced the ethical argument. Are we playing, or trying to play god with people’s lives, and the idea of producing replicas of people delves into what most of us would describe as ‘real science fiction’.

Whether you are in favour of technology, like myself, or if you believe that there are too many drawbacks, technology is here to stay.

 

 

 

 

 

TheArtfulDodger

Part-time blogger with many views that need an outlet.