Technology has been advancing at an ever increasing rate lately, and to be honest, it makes me very nervous as to what our future society will be like. Now I'm not a technophobe or whatever, and I think most of these new technologies are good things, and while that I think others may seem cool and all, I feel like they might have a negative affect on humanity. First with 3D printing. Once it becomes an appliance that is widespread and most people in developed countries have one at home, it can have a serious impact on the global economy. It's very likely that there will be widespread piracy on designs for all types of items similar to how it is for music and movies. Stores and Factories will likely lose a lot of profits and will have to shut down/lay off a lot of workers. It will also severely harm any efforts at gun control because it can print functioning guns without having to pass a background check or anything. Not to mention the fact that these guns are undetectable by metal detectors. And with driverless cars, sure automotive autonomy and the ability to repax while your car is driving for you sounds cool. But is it really safer than human driving. The cars have to be programmed to react to certain situations, but for that to happen the programmer had to have thought about the possibility of the situation beforehand. Also consider the fact that most technology has bugs, and these bugs could potentially kill tons of people. And then there is the possibility of it being hacked. During rush hour each day in my country there are tens of millions of people on the road nationwide at once. If hackers were able to find a way to hack the program and cause all of the cars to crash, then that would kill millions. Also what will happen to privacy? It seems like Google will likely be the main company behind the driverless car technology and they alread have tons of data just from what it collects on the Internet. The question is whether we can really trust google with all that information regarding where everyone goes and when. The cars that Google uses for its street view thing were already found out to be stealing emails, usernames, and passwords from unprotected wifi. It's not that I'm completely opposed to these new technologies, but I think we should stop and thing about the impact that they have on our society before it's too late. Then again my fears could be completely wrong about these technologies.
"Wary" may not be the right word. It suggests there is something inherently dangerous, like a gun or a knife. Those are designed to kill/cut as their primary purposes, but most technology is designed to help us and be safe. Currently, 3D printing is too expensive and the polymers used are very narrow. Also, most people don't have enough time to custom-make something. That's why box stores are still surviving against Amazon or Ebay. People like to see what they are buying (and see the competition on the same shelf) rather than buy online. Many even go to the stores first before choosing what to buy online. I agree about the danger of printed guns, but it seems many of them are not durable enough, for now. I do think the people who advertise the gun designs should be prosecuted if those designs are then used by criminals/terrorists. It's no different than the restrictions on advertising how to make explosives or other chemical weapons. Automated driving will likely be safer, but only if most cars are using it. Otherwise, we will still need to have someone monitoring the wheel for crazy "analog" drivers. The huge number of people are killed in rush hour is entirely the fault of human drivers, so that is not actually a negative against computer controlled cars. I do agree that the cars should try to be not so connected to the internet to preserve privacy and avoid any remote interference.
I'm very wary of advanced AI for a few reasons: 1. I think work is absolutely essential for human beings, I fear one day we will have mass unemployment due to advances in technology 2. Even if we live in a state where distribution of wealth is improved and the unemployment wasn't a problem financially - I think in not having work humans will become mentally and physically weaker (HG Wells' theory of degeneration or reverse evolution). Humans need stresses and challenges in life - we no longer hunt and gather so work is kind of the thing keeping us at this level of evolution I feel. 3. Perhaps more sci-fi, but I'm cautiaus if one day we do get to a point where AI becomes so lifelike or advanced that ethics become involved? Do we need to give machines rights? Would this not compromise human rights? Would people start having relationships with machines? etc. To me its not a pleasant sounding future, I think we are designing out humans in a way. 4. I'm very concerned about self-driving cars. I definitely see the benefits (vastly safer and more efficient) but I would hate the see regular driving banned or taxed to the hilt (which I fear would be inevitable). I do see driving as a great human experience (almost a meditation), the only thing that comes close for humans is horse-riding - but its not practical for everyone to own a horse to ride on! I'm not absolutely opposed to technology however. I do like little gadgets that make things run a bit smoother: smart central heating systems, Smart TVs, more energy efficient tech. I will never, EVER have a dishwasher though. Never. Hate the things, and I actually love washing up the old fashioned way by hand. :lol:
People throughout the ages have always been scared of new advances, the world has kept on turning and will continue to do so.
So we should just blindly ignore all of the potential risks of evolving technology too far? Even to the point where robots do everything for us and humans are no longer autonomous?
Well as long as we don't advance so much we lose nature, like in a film I can't remember.. The buildings were so high in the sky and there was no sight of nature.
Drones and other methods of eavesdropping/spying/snooping bother me. I fear a future in which we have little privacy, even far from cities, in the middle of nowhere, cameras will probably be watching everything... The world already seems to hemmed in. ~ Also: The night sky: We produce so much light, there's not many places you can see the stars at night anymore, population-wise.
Hmm...interesting points. I admit, I am wary. With more power comes more responsibility,from everyone. As for the car thing, I would feel safer because I am an awful driver and live amongst awful drivers. So if everyone had this technology, I would feel 100 times safer. Luckily there aren't many polymers(if any) strong or resilient enough to withstand the release of a bullet. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about that.
It's not technological sophistication that worries me. It's that we're not ethically advanced enough to deal with using technology at times. As for the fear that technology will displace work, I think it is a legitimate concern. However, automation of farming didn't increase unemployment in the long term - new jobs opened up in industry. As industry became increasingly automated, employment in services have become more common. Such changes do not spell disaster and destitution. For example, the Luddites were losing their jobs as power looms and spinning frames dominated the industry. Naturally, they were angry and tried their best to stop this automation. However, automation and accompanying social change meant that a), people outside of that industry could afford the goods that people like the Luddites once produced for a much smaller market, b), the Luddites themselves and their descendants were better-off over time as more opportunities opened up. Thus, the wealth produced by this automation allowed more money to flow around, rather than having a few poor artisans working for the well-off while everyone else was unable to afford their goods. Opposition to such progress doesn't tend to benefit altogether many people in the long term. It's rather like those who clamour to save outer-suburban life and cities' enormous sprawl at the expense of urbanisation, centralisation and sustainable population growth; their prosperity and their lifestyle (rather dreary and soulless, in my view) are only possible through economic growth. The solutions are either to change lifestyles or to artificially stagnate their communities. By trying to preserve it, not only do they seek to shut the door on newcomers, but they would stop growth, both economically and socially, within their communities to the point where they and their children wouldn't benefit from the fortune growth gave them in the past, on the back of which they ride. Encouraging technological changes that shake up the literal and social infrastructure we rely on is a good thing; it means that we keep on moving, keep on growing and allow more people to join in on that fortune. Automation has, historically, improved working and living conditions and increased the size of the middle class and the wealth of the working class who consume to keep things growing. To turn around now and say no to it could easily prevent that trend from continuing. If we stop at the point where progress benefits us alone and no further, we risk letting things slip to the point where that benefit ceases to exist. We certainly must be wary of letting ourselves forget those who are displaced by technological advancement, but it's dangerous to stagnate everyone else for the sake of individual industries' levels of employment.
I was thinking: The only reason I'd ever own a gun, would be to shoot down small drones that happened to be over my property...a recon' a shotgun would do the trick. I can't stand the thought of just anyone & everyone having these camera-laded contraptions, especially in national perks, over your home, and other invasive places.
I do believe technology is making us lazier. I hate people relying too much on their devices to just use their hands or do something the old fashioned way. People are too drawn into their smartphones to look up and actually talk to people This is basically what has happened
I live in an area with no cell towers, no cable TV, technology at a minimum. I get by fine. Eat good, sleep well, no stress. Internet is way slow! Lol
An associate of mine used to joke about smart phones being the Mark of the Beast, because of how universal they're becoming, with scanning and communication. At the time, it was kind of funny, but now... there's tidbits of truth to that. Now, I'm not sure if a Biblical prophecy fits exactly, but it is something to ponder on. My primary concern is, as has been previously expressed here, is that technology will render many people useless. You only need so many people to maintain equipment, and those 'many people' will, probably, be the wealthier or more influential in life. One thing that does bother me is, people give me the most bizarre looks when I tell them, I don't have a smart phone. Technically, I do have a cell phone, but it is VERY basic, and only allows calling and texting. I can't even take pictures or play games on it. I only have it because it was provided when I applied for food stamps, and I wasn't going to turn down a free phone. I've been told that, if employers knew I didn't have a smart phone before hiring me, they wouldn't have -- because they want to know, they can always reach me, or "know how to find me". That last part never sat well with me.
I don't have one either, just a very basic phone. I can't see spending the extra money...I'd much rather spend it on other things, and I don't need to have web access WHEREVER I go. I have it at home, all day at work, we have a Chromebook. I just don't get the need to have a $500 phone that's gonna cost $80 a month, when I only pay $25/now, unlimited talk, text, even though I seldom text. So I save over $600 a year, and that's fine with me, lots of things I'd rather spend the $$$ on; I give $10/mo to the SPLC and $10/mo the the ACLU, and I'd rather do that, and have some pocket money to boot, than have some fancy-phone. ~ Oh, I'm also reminded, I need to go get some more of those repro Edison bulbs...they give off such a warm glow, and I love the way the filaments look. Last one I has lasted 5 years. They seem a bit trendy, but they look good in older buildings, like this one. (circa 1910).
