Technological Ventures (The Nerd Thread)

[Cain Nightroad]

We're currently living in the twenty-first century, save that small portion of us that have abused time machine rights and come here from some other time. As twenty-first century-ers, how exactly do we all feel about what technology has done for our generation?

We've brought modernizations to the four corners of the world. Go back nearly a decade and visit rural areas in Alaska; people still lived in tribes and lived off of the land. Of course, this knowledge is going to spark a flame in some of you. That ever present question of if we would choose technology over nature looms above us, but let's ignore that question for now.

The main point here is to discuss what technology has done for us in our everyday lives, even beyond that. How has technology affected you? Do you accept it, or would you change it? If so, how? Obviously, technology hasn't always been kind to all of us. I'd like to move past iPods, computers, and the like; instead think of more obscure ways technology has impacted us. Just look at how we can all communicate through the Internet.

Technology is a double-edged sword. I'd like to see which side of the blade you've been able to experienced. One or both?

 

[Pink_Floyd]

In my opinion, the advancement of technology is both a blessing and a curse. One might feel that it has upset the balance of nature while others might view it as a way of advancement of the human race. Both have great points, but technology has taken its toll on humanity. Consider things such as the Manhattan Project and biological warfare, and contrast it to space travel and medical research, and ask yourself which has had more progress in the last fifty years.

Look into the human condition, old bean. ^_^

Allllllllllso, this is an interesting read that I think is relevant to the topic. It's Theodore Kaczynski's manifesto, and he's also known as the Unabomber. Take it with a grain of salt, it's written by the hands of a madman but it's an interesting read none-the-less.

 

[NPC]

In his introduction to one of his thousands of Astro Boy compilations, Ozamu Tesuka's manga self-insert looked onto the futuristic world of his series and wondered aloud if technology had truly managed to make humanity happier. Of course, if there were half-naked boy robots with superpowers walking around today, I'd be very much inclined to say "Hell yes".

But on a more serious note, trying to catalogue technology as beneficial or detrimental to humanity is pointless; it's the double-edged sword of Man, and it's all about how he wields it and whether he doesn't accidentally lop off his own head in the process. Over time, it's led to a more unified world (whether this is good or bad is whole argument in and of itself), and has curiously resulted in a constantly more homogenous civilization. See, for example, the advent of American cultural imperialism through mass media and advertising; modern publicity was born in the USA, after all. Even the Internet has begun to shown the first symptoms of a sort of hive-mind developing, although on that note I don't think that the entire technological singularity scenario is at all plausible.

The world that technology has forged is completely different to the world of yore. Like Nietzsche said time and again (although I'm pretty sure he didn't come up with it), human civilization goes through three cycles: the Age of Gods, the Age of Heroes and the Age of Man. Although the cultural development of every society does not go at the same pace at all, it's more-or-less agreed that we moved to the Age of Man with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. There's no more magic, superstition, or higher beings to blame our faults on. Ishmael said it: it's up to us and only us now, and so far we're doing a so-so job.

... Oh, wait. Nerd thread? Damnit, what am I as a totally cool person doing here?

 

[Cain Nightroad]

Allllllllllso, this is an interesting read that I think is relevant to the topic. It's Theodore Kaczynski's manifesto, and he's also known as the Unabomber. Take it with a grain of salt, it's written by the hands of a madman but it's an interesting read none-the-less.

I'm glad you brought this up, as it in turn brings this up:

3. If the system breaks down the consequences will still be very painful. But the bigger the system grows the more disastrous the results of its breakdown will be, so if it is to break down it had best break down sooner rather than later.

Whether its from a crashed computer to a dead car battery, anyone who interacts with technology has experienced this. There are post-apocalyptic type movies that show that even if humanity builds itself up with technology supporting it, the technology is a frail support. Unfortunately enough, this is true: technology needs some sort of energy as much as we need food and water to survive. Energy is always around in some form, but if we use too much electrical energy (for example, at least), then we'll speed through the supplies of electrical energy. Not only is the fact true that the bigger they are the harder they fall, but it is also true that the bigger they are the harder it is to keep them from falling.

 

[NPC]

Not only is the fact true that the bigger they are the harder they fall, but it is also true that the bigger they are the harder it is to keep them from falling.

That's not necessarily true. Doomsday proclaimers have been around for quite a while, but technology has managed to surpass itself time and again--much to Malthus' chagrin. There may be a day when we can enjoy the benefits of technology at a minimal energy cost. Not every path leads to Soylent Green, man.

 

[Pink_Floyd]

That's not necessarily true. Doomsday proclaimers have been around for quite a while, but technology has managed to surpass itself time and again--much to Malthus' chagrin. There may be a day when we can enjoy the benefits of technology at a minimal energy cost. Not every path leads to Soylent Green, man.

It goes down the path of destruction far too often, though. While doomsday "prophets" have been around for centuries, the fact that if technology stops, fails, or whatever, society will fall. I'm not saying it /will/ happen, of course, but if it did, the consequences are unimaginable. Just take a look at New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit, and that was just a natural disaster. Imagine that on a worldwide scale.

It's just food for thought though. :]

 

[Pink_Floyd]

That's not necessarily true. Doomsday proclaimers have been around for quite a while, but technology has managed to surpass itself time and again--much to Malthus' chagrin. There may be a day when we can enjoy the benefits of technology at a minimal energy cost. Not every path leads to Soylent Green, man.

It goes down the path of destruction far too often, though. While doomsday "prophets" have been around for centuries, the fact that if technology stops, fails, or whatever, society will fall. I'm not saying it /will/ happen, of course, but if it did, the consequences are unimaginable. Just take a look at New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit, and that was just a natural disaster. Imagine that on a worldwide scale.

It's just food for thought though. :]

 

[Cain Nightroad]

Just take a look at New Orleans when hurricane Katrina hit, and that was just a natural disaster. Imagine that on a worldwide scale.

You've got to remember that not all areas in the world have the technology that New Orleans had. When taking this into account, you could say it is a bit of a boon; if our technology fails, these areas can continue about their lives more easily than we could.

 

[Pink_Floyd]

You've got to remember that not all areas in the world have the technology that New Orleans had. When taking this into account, you could say it is a bit of a boon; if our technology fails, these areas can continue about their lives more easily than we could.

Well yeah, I wasn't talking about the levies but good point there. I was speaking more about the reaction to the disaster than the disaster itself. The mass panic and the riots that followed.