Kevin Kelly at Technium explains why he used to think technology was cool, used to think, repeat, used to think....

Kevin Kelly writes on his TECHNIUM blog:

[annotations by zippy1300 in CAPS]

The circle of my closest friends are fans and boosters of technology. [IT'S TRUE!] They unleash the technium for a living. [THAT'S TRUE, TOO! A BIG HUGE LIVING!] Their job is to discover new forms of machines, to invent new ways to leverage intelligence, and to create entirely new stuff. [AND MAKE TONS OF MONEY DOING SO WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GETTING A NICE BOOST TO THEIR CAREERS!] When I asked them about the inherent value in technology, the majority of the [SUPERWEALTHY VIP] technophiles I interviewed claim that technology is a means to an end, and therefore neutral. [SURE, A MEANS TO MAKE A NICE LIVING!] They generally hold an upscale version of "guns don't kill, people do." [OF COURSE!] We have a choice in how technology is applied, but fundamentally, they would say, technology is neither good nor bad, it's neutral. The good in technology comes from wise decisions in employing it. [THAT'S HOW THEY RATIONALIZE THEIR FANCY CARS AND FANCY HOMES IN POSH SECTIONS OF TOWN!]

To be honest, I used to feel the same way. [HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW, KEVIN?] History counseled that dynamite could be used to carve tunnels or blow up schools. Insecticides could boost crops or poison drinking water. GPS satellites can guide you if you are lost, or track you down with no place to hide. Surely the sum value of new invention was up to us. [SURELY]. And the idea that we choose the valence of technology's charge is very appealing to our egos. [WE HUMANS HAVE EGOS?] But it does not match the evidence of technology's rise, nor its deep roots in life and the cosmos. [TELL THAT TO THEIR ACCOUNTANTS!]

Note: are you reading this on paper or screening this blog post on a screen?

Nota bene: Is this why everyone thinks the Kindle and the other e-readers are so cool? Just neutral devices? THINK AGAIN, FOLKS!

http://zippy1300.blogspot.com