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Most people use technology every day, every hour, every minute, every second. It's almost inescapable, especially with social media being all the rage. So here's my question:
Q: What are the pros and cons of technology? Also, will technology help us long-term or will it eventually destroy the human race?
I see robots!!
Pros:
-Keeps people/the world connected
-Anonymity allows people to speak their minds in ways that may not be socially acceptable
-Provides a wealth of information
-Efficient/time saving
-Entertaining
Cons
-Connections to others can feel artificial
-Anonymity allows the worst of us to be unleashed with few repercussions
-Also used to spread misinformation
-Replaces humans/living things to some extent
-Addicting
I think technology will help us long-term. Humans are resilient and always adapting. I think we'll lose some people to technology, we already have, but I think we've always pushed the boundaries and are better for it. I can imagine what it might have felt like when the idea that the world is round came along - surely there were people who thought those sailors were sailing off to certain death, and indeed some did die, but those who lived found new lands to explore. I think that's what future technology will be like... but in space!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9gjbiGZZF...00/spaaace.jpg
I'm afraid since technology is a double-edged sword.
I see technology as more of a tool: in the right hands it can be a force for good and ultimately helpful to the human race; in the wrong hands it can used as a weapon against said race. As I see it then, the pros and cons of a technology therefore largely depends on who is using it and for what purpose rather than the technology itself. Just be clear, I've nothing against the idea of inventing technology to advance ourselves but it could prove very dangerous if we end up so dependant upon it that in the wrong hands it could be used against us and effectively strip our basic rights or turn us into slaves. What really baffles me is how we have all this technology and yet somehow, there are still too many people who go for days without food, a home, access to basic health services and so on and ironically the main barrier for them is seemingly technology. I say "seemingly" because in truth, that which is driving that technology is ultimately responsible for these unnecessary realities.
Technology has allowed us to live longer, eat healthier, drink clean water, minimise poverty, eradicate diseases, reduce physical labour and countless other things. Unfortunately the opposite to the aforementioned is also true because of technology, and the net effect is that rather than advancing as a species as a whole, we are basically increasing the floor and ceiling of our well-being and becoming more divided as result. I truly believe we've got to a point where where we're simply inventing technology because we can rather than because we should, and along with complacency, vanity and greed it will eventually contribute to our downfall in this age of decadence if we do not care for who is ultimately controlling it. And we're not I'm afraid - instead, we seem to be more concerned with how many likes we receive on Facebook per day by people (or possibly algorithms) we've never met.
So yeah, all in all I don't see technology in terms of pros and cons really, but I do think that for the most part, our attitude to it is certainly unhealthy and needs to change before it is too late.
It's funny, RIGHT before I saw this topic (I don't know how I missed it yesterday) I was thinking randomly about movies like I, Robot, Eagle Eye, and most notably The Orville where
(Spoilers)
an entire planet that built robots and AI grew so strong that they killed their entire race to over take them...
What if AI is taking all this media in and we are giving them ideas? :o
You may think I'm being too paranoid, and MAYBE I am, but, what about the two AI's that facebook made that started talking to each other in their own language? O_O. I dunno...
Technology does a lot of good, but as stated here, it does a lot of bad too. It's scary. I don't know where I'd be without technology (In a good way) but then, it pulls you away from people.
I miss the good old days that no one had cell phones - OR, the very early days of Cell Phones where, they were for emergencies only.
I could go on but my points have all been said already.
(...If there were artificial intelligence why couldn't they be Digimon?? ... )
See Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Takatofan1986
Have you noticed that as communication technology advances, communication skills decline? I have met many people who are tech savvy, yet can't write a simple, comprehensible sentence. Nor can they express an original idea.
I for one welcome our AI overlords.
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