May the Technium be with you!
Who doesn’t know about the line from the Star Wars series — “May the force be with you”. It indicates that there’s this unseen force made of Midi-chlorians which connects the Living Force to allow a Force-sensitive individual to harness it. What if I tell you that this is somewhat true in our non-fictional world?
Let me start with the root of all life, the power house of cells called mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny ‘organelles’ that sit within our cells, where they act like batteries, providing energy to power the cells. And after billions of years of evolution from single cell organism to complex multi-cellular organisms. We are here now rummaging through life with our tools and technologies mucking about as we keeping on evolving.
So, why use ‘Technium’ instead of ‘Force’ ? The word Technium was coined by Kevin Kelly, head maverick at Wired Magazine where in his book “What Technology Wants”, he talks about the Technium. Everything on earth has been categorised into 6 kingdoms — Plants, Animals, Fungi, Eubacteria, Archae and Protista. The 7th kingdom, the Technium, is derived from the urge of our species’ need for innovations.
“After more than 20 years researching on the subject, Kelly says that technology is a system with the same complexity as a microscopic organism. “It is the ecosystem of all invented things”. Kelly calls this entity the Technium and says that it is made up of millions of homes, millions of factories, millions of acres modified for agriculture and to feed livestock, trillions of motors, thousands of dams and artificial lakes, hundreds of millions of automobiles, quadrillions of chips, millions of cables…. None of these things can work independently. Everything is interconnected. Just like the living things in nature. Just like human cells.” – Excerpt from …..
In “What Technology Wants”, Kevin Kelly explores the concept of the technium, which he defines as the “global, massively interconnected system of technology vibrating around us”. He argues that technology is not just a collection of tools and devices, but a self-organizing and evolving system, with its own desires and tendencies. In other words, technology has a life of its own, and we are merely its co-creators and users.
Kelly traces the evolution of technology, from its origins in the stone tools of our ancestors, to the complex and interconnected systems of today. He identifies the key trends and patterns that have shaped the development of technology, such as increasing complexity, accelerating change, and expanding diversity. He also examines the cultural, social, and ethical implications of these trends, and asks what it means to be human in a world that is increasingly shaped by technology.
One of the key insights of “What Technology Wants” is that technology is not a neutral or passive force, but an active and dynamic entity, with its own goals and values. Kelly argues that technology is driven by a kind of “inner logic”, which he describes as a “vector of self-perpetuation”. In other words, technology wants to continue to exist and evolve, just like any living organism. This can lead to both positive and negative consequences, depending on how we harness and direct the power of technology.
The technium is not just a collection of individual technologies, but a complex and interconnected system, with emergent properties and behaviors. Kelly identifies seven key properties of the technium, which he calls the seven stages of technological evolution. These are: generativity, exponentiality, complexity, sociality, ubiquity, diversity, and sentience. Each stage builds on the previous one, and leads to new and unexpected possibilities and challenges.
Kelly also discusses the cultural and social implications of the technium, and asks what it means to be human in a world that is increasingly shaped by technology. He argues that we need to develop a new kind of “technological literacy”, which will enable us to understand and navigate the complexities and uncertainties of the technium. He also emphasizes the importance of ethical and moral considerations in shaping the development of technology, and calls for a new kind of “techno-humanism”, which will prioritize the well-being and flourishing of all beings, human and non-human.
In conclusion, “What Technology Wants” is a provocative and thought-provoking exploration of the technium, and the meaning behind this revelation. Kevin Kelly challenges us to think deeply about the role and impact of technology in our lives, and to develop a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of its complexities and possibilities. He reminds us that technology is not just a tool or a means to an end, but a vital and dynamic part of our world, with its own desires and tendencies. Ultimately, Kelly invites us to embrace the challenge and opportunity of the technium, and to co-create a future that reflects our highest aspirations and values.
So here, I want to put a little spin on the subject matter of science fiction. It is actually a science fact, where the line between natural and made is blurred. How can we say something made with plastic is unnatural? It may be inorganic but it is still derived from earth.
Ever since, the first biological singularity for humans — the creation of language, manifested. It changed everything. Life after language was unimaginable to those on the far side before it. So let us just imagine a world when we inevitably merge with our technology. Life as we know it lacks in comparison to what awaits us on the other side.
Lastly, since language, clothings, scientific methods, techniques & tools have been created by our ancestors and passed along to us. It is truly a force to be reckoned with. The Technium is all around us 🌐
