Technology. Is it ultimately good or bad for humankind?

[Guest *Ste***cque**]

Stephen Hawking said recently that he believes technology may be humankinds ultimate downfall. Sure, it has its benefits but do you ever wonder about its darker side? Do you worry we are becoming too dependent on technology?

[loopie 15358]

I see technology as what defines our species. Its advancement is our collective purpose.

[NotchJohnson 214119]

It can be a bit of both in my opinion. With today technology we can cure many illnesses, bring people closer and go places we could not go before, that is the positive side of technology.

I have seen on the news last night about a father that won't let his daughter get her driving license because she is constantly on her cell phone. Did we need cell phone when we were young? We used the landline to call our friends and when they were not home we would call back later.

Do we really need to find out what is in deep space and land on another planet and see if we can live on it? Why not try to save ours?

[Ice4fun 78407]

I kind of think this is one of those questions that is impossible to answer with a yes or a no...

 

Of course technology is good it allows us to save lives (think ICD implanted Cardioverter Defibrillator or all the other amazing medical technology) and improve the quality of our lives but with all good things there is also the possibility of bad. Nuclear Technology can be used to power our city's and but it can also be used to make bombs that kill it's not the science or the technology that is the problem it is the choices we make in how to use that technology.... and frankly that comes down to human nature and contrary to all the daily indications about why I should not I still have a lot of faith in Human Nature... we may not always act as quickly as we should we do seem to ultimately steer ourselves away from destruction..lol or at least we are delaying it.

 

In any case what really is the other option... are we gonna outlaw creative thinking and the invention of new ways of doing things... conclude that the way we do things now is the best and never look for improvements..of course not...it's not possible to stop the power of the human imagination so yes the world will continue to evolve and yep there will be risks.

 

On a lighter note I could just say of course technology is a good thing and provide you with some amazing examples:

• The cordless Magic Wand - we all remember the dark ages when the cord on the magic wand restricted our activities in bed.. it only reached so far and you could not get that perfect angle unless you stopped and moved... now technology has saved us from that with cordless freedom.
  
• The Wee Vibe 4+ - Do you remember when you had to actually be in the same room to physically control the stimulation of a ladies tiddlewink... well with new technology like the Wee Vibe 4+ you can now be in a different room... different building... different city or even a different country and with your cell phone and your finger have your partners tiddlewink all wet with incredible ease in fact... she can be wearing it and at a business meeting when you use technology to reach out and touch her.
  
• Internet Porn - I really don't need to say more do I?
  

 

The bottom line is our lives as Perverts (According to FORMER PM Harper) have been enriched by technology just imagine all the positive nonsex related benefits of technology.

 

By the way love the thread

 

Just my Opinion

[Guest st*****ens**ors]

I don't think humans have changed much over the course of recorded history. We just find new and innovative ways of doing the things we have always wanted to do. Technology certainly makes many things immeasurably easier, whether we're trying to obliterate a city or make a nice cup of tea.

 

Sometimes I worry about skills that are lost from generation to generation. I was in a Tim Hortons during a computer failure, and watched with a sort of awe as they had to close the cash because not one employee could calculate an order or make change even with the assistance of a calculator!

 

But...I'm typing this on an iPhone.

[TINCUP 6043]

In every new technology there is a good side and bad side. The challenge for us mortals is to find the right balance between the two and use it smartly,but there always will be someone who pushes the envelop to far to create a bad use for the technology.

[Guest *Ste***cque**]

My concern with technology is that the "software" (technology) is outpacing "hardware's"(our brains) ability to keep up and control it, at least for the vast majority of us. I think this imbalance creates anxiety, or maybe it's just me and other old folks. Still, it should concern younger people as well. What jobs are safe from this rapid change?

 

Soon robots will be responsible for applying, maintaining and advancing our pace of technology. I'm reminded of Wall-e or Battlestar Galactica, although I've only seen snippets of both.

[Mikeyboy 27131]

Technology is not inherently bad, but the question is can we evolve as a species fast enough to handle it. Unfortunately, with the capitalistic model the western world has adopted, most technologies tend to be used for self gain as opposed to the betterment of the species as a whole. It doesn't matter if a new technology is harmful to the environment, to workers in another country or the future of our whole planet, so long as the shareholders are kept happy. Will there still be a species left in the future to enjoy the technologies we are creating? It's a good question. I'd like to think the "Star Trek" model of technology saving the race and bringing global peace is in the cards, but I am skeptical. Not so long as the technologies are owned by so few.

[VedaSloan 119179]

I think the answer is more complicated than a reductive binary allows.

 

But come on, we all know the robots are going to take over the world. That is if we don't melt the ice caps and end up in Waterworld first.

[Guest *Ste***cque**]

I think the answer is more complicated than a reductive binary allows.

 

But come on, we all know the robots are going to take over the world. That is if we don't melt the ice caps and end up in Waterworld first.

 

I believe the body of my post sufficiently queried open-ended questioning thereby allowing a non-reductive binary analysis. LOL. Or in tech speak... 0110010001100001010001?

 

Berlin, do you dislike me? Yes or No? If Yes... :)

 

Just teasing. Sometimes my sense of humor doesn't work so well online. I blame technology!

[VedaSloan 119179]

I believe the body of my post sufficiently queried open-ended questioning thereby allowing a non-reductive binary analysis. LOL. Or in tech speak... 0110010001100001010001?

 

Berlin, do you dislike me? Yes or No? If Yes... :)

 

Just teasing. Sometimes my sense of humor doesn't work so well online. I blame technology!

 

Mine either :)

 

In humanities/social sciences a binary is any two terms put in opposition to each other, in this case, good/bad.

[Guest Prufrock Cummings]

tech is great, and I hope that one day we will get have a successful mission to Mars, but if the zombie apocalypse gets us first then lord help us...unless Skynet beats the zombies to us...