Technology: The Bad, The Good, The Reality
“Should we?” This is a question that is not asked enough as our society plows forward, sometimes recklessly, with new technologies. That question is often buried by desires for profits or simply a powerful drive of curiosity and to understand and explore our surroundings. Fortunately, it is a question that is almost always brought up by someone in class. I am happy to hear it as it is something that I sometimes wrestle with, even though I love technology. It has sparked an internal debate; is technology good, or bad for society? Is it ok for me to try to advance it even though it may be the end of us?
The Bad
There are plenty of examples of technology being used to harm, or having unintended but still harmful effects. A few that jump to mind easily are the atom bomb, dynamite, and cars. The atom bomb was designed specifically by people as a weapon. All too often technology is developed for the purpose of war. In the United States military funding dwarfs that of education, and nearly 10% of that money goes to researching new technologies designed to harm. Dynamite is a great example of a technology that was invented without intentions for war. Nobel thought that such a devastating weapon would bring about peace, but dynamite became instrumental in military explosives. Then there are technologies that have completely unforeseen consequences, like that of cars and burning fossil fuels. Over the last century, cars have been a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect. This was certainly not the intention of the inventers of the internal combustion engine.
By the time we understood the consequences, both foreseen and unforeseen, of these new technologies it was too late, the bombs had been dropped, the dynamite used in war, and cars had become so integrated into our lives that removing them would send our civilizations to a screeching stop. As we look forward there are other looming, potential disasters on the horizon. New technologies like AI and nanotechnology could present threats to our very existence. I like to believe that in the hands of smart people, who have foresight, these technologies could be used to solve the problems we face today. However, the people who invented the internal combustion engine were smart, and those of the atom bomb, some of the smartest. Same with dynamite.
The Good
Ok, I’m done with the doom and gloom, it’s not really my style. Today is not yesterday. This century, not the previous. We have the benefit of learning from past mistakes and the society that we are now, is not the same society we were then. We have a greater understanding of the world and our impact on it. We ask, “should we” more often and are better at shaming those who do not. It is through technology that much of this learning and growth has taken place. We use technology to help us measure our impact. We use technology to record our findings for generations to build upon. Technology has brought us together into a single planet like never before.
It is easy to focus on the bad parts of technology but what about the good outcomes, intended and unintended, direct and indirect. The discovery of the atom bomb brought the world’s most dangerous weapon, but it also brought other things. At its core, it brought the knowledge of nuclear energy, which now powers many homes across the globe. Nuclear power is even being used in pacemakers, extending the life of the device by many years. The development of the nuclear bomb enhanced our understanding of the atom and provided a new power source, one that has and could continue to replace fossil fuels.
Sometimes, the good isn’t so directly linked as with the atom bomb. Dynamite was used in war until it was replaced by better explosives. It was used for industrial applications as well but that has mostly been replaced as well. Dynamite was never repurposed for anything other than blasting rock or people. However, when Alfred Nobel realized that his legacy was that of death and destruction he decided to use his fortune to develop the Nobel Peace Price, a prize that fosters peace and the sciences, evidence that at least one inventor at that time was thinking forward. Today, this prize has set a precedent, encouraging ethical and responsible use of technology and science.
Other times the good is hidden in everyday activities. Cars have been intertwined in our lives to the point we don’t even think about them as a technology that has consequences. They are simply a part of our everyday lives. They have become this way because they improve our lives so drastically, even bought about a completely new era in trade and transportation. This allowed society to advance faster and connected people in ways that had never before been possible. Even though they have a negative consequence, the good they bring, while hidden, is great.
The Reality
My general conclusion is this. Regardless of how you feel about technology, it is not going away. The drive to discover, create, and make money is too powerful and technology is a direct result of those drives. However, this does not make technology, inherently bad. Nor does it make it good. Technology is a tool, people are good and bad. This makes it all the more important for those of us that are good and asking, “should we” to make a stand and fight for ethical, responsible development of technology. When it is used right, technology will solve all the problems. It has become so intertwined in our lives the problems technology creates can only be solved with technology.
Once I arrived at my conclusion the answers to my questions were obvious. Is technology good or bad? The answer is yes. Or maybe no. Technology is as good or as bad as the people developing and wielding it. The second question was not so simply answered but was far more important; is it responsible of me to help to advance it when it could be used to harm? The answer is yes. In fact, I believe that it would be irresponsible for me or anyone like me to not. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” –Edmund Burke. I believe this to be true of technology as well. Anyone that loves technology and believes in its power to do good must get involved in some way to help technology develop responsibly, ethically and for the betterment of all life.
