It may seem as though many of us have come to terms with the fact that technology is not going anywhere anytime soon. And with technology being named a basic human right by much of the world, it seems that technology will become even more a part of our lives that it is today. But there are those who are worried about what technology is doing to the human race, despite their ability to use technology to navigate the modern world.
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The Predictions
At least one authority can identify one or more categories under which technology is often criticized. One involves society becoming demoralized due to alienation, something which has seen recent coverage in the news. The excessive use of social media in order to compensate for a lack of social skill is already evident in just about every restaurant, sidewalk and other public area in the world. Many say that this is going to lead to the future inability of humans to appreciate things like art.
War
Weaponry is another common category where technology is often accused of destroying humanity as we know it. After all, technology has been responsible for the creation of weapons which are less detectable. Think of the 3-D scanner, which can create everything from knives to guns out of plastic, which today’s airport scanners are unable to detect. What about a 3-D printed drone containing biological weaponry? Some say this scenario isn’t too far behind. The dark side of 3-D printing is that it doesn’t require any high level of understanding in order to print an item; all that’s required is the purchase of a printer, and then locating an online resource for weapon printing software.
Jobs
On the job front, technology is predicted by many to be responsible for the availability of fewer jobs. It’s true that technology is responsible for the fact that only 1.5 percent or less of the labor force is needed to grow the world’s food. But advocates say that technology will help humanity. Unfortunately, although technology is advancing at breakneck speed, humans are running to catch up, meaning it could be a few years before the benefits of technology actually manifest themselves in job markets.
Government Surveillance
Unfortunately, just as George Orwell predicted, we may now be citizens of a surveillance state, if recent news about the NSA is any indication. As stated before, technology is advancing, and a camera can be installed anywhere. Although this technology is purported to be responsible for the drastic reduction of crime and terrorism, many wonder if the ends justify the means.
The Positive Side
Nanotechnology is said to be the next big thing in fields like health care. A patient may soon be able to swallow a pill which contains tiny technological marvels which would enter the bloodstream, and then transmit the information they find there to waiting doctors’ computer systems.
Future developments many are becoming excited about include technology that allows that brain to communicate with computers. This may involve the installation of neural implants that provide humans with particular experiences involving virtual reality worlds. Along the war front, a big contender may be a helmet which facilitates communication between soldiers telekinetically.
Humans and the Value of Face-To-Face Communication
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Despite the many benefits of technology to bring us together, it remains the opinion of many that no technology can adequately compete with the nuances of communicating face to face in a physical manner. While possibly a non-exciting alternative to the many places one can seek out and engage in communication online today, communicating in physical real time provides us with the very things that make us human, some say: the ability to display, interpret and receive emotional cues, as well as teach our children how to do the same.
