Are we too quick and open to accept new technology?

[FoxesAtDawn]

I was reading a book today and there’s a line in it that says “People have always been too quick to adopt whatever appears to make their lives easier in the short term. Humans are very good at inventing solutions and very, very bad at anticipating consequences”

Do you think that’s true? I am inclined, in the mass of society, to agree it’s true. Some might be slower, but do will really think about the implications?

Take a cash-less society for example. It’s easy and fast. No swapping dirty money through hands and if something bad happens like being mugged, you can quickly block accounts and protect your money. Technology is great. But on the other hand, every transaction you make it traceable. If society went to real shit, you’d have nothing to spend under the counter or on the black market - something we want to avoid now but if the worst happened it would be something we rely on.

Or smart phone. They truly are wonders from someone who spent their teenage years with dial up. I can do absolutely everything from my phone - but on the downside I don’t know many people who will call me for a chat. Our social side hasn’t thrived from smart phones (the whole point of phones to begin with) but have made us more insular. Why connect with real people when you can send a text inside or calling, buy online instead of visiting a shop or join virtual forums instead of meeting your communities.

When I bought my latest phone that upgraded from fingertip recognition to face recognition I was delighted - but I’m definitely all the more lazy for not having to just put the pin in. The pin feels like a hardship (something I’m sure many of you will understand from having to adapt in shops due to masks).

There are definitely some technophobes out there too, of course. But I mean for most people, do we just say yes and get on with it? Do we really think about what it really means in the long term?

Yes and no

Things that don’t cost money but time, people are happy to adopt. Anything that’s makes it quicker and easier

Something that can cost a bit more in money, they are a bit more cautious with

Apologies for all poor wording and grammar by the way. Autocorrect is a fantastic technological advancement but it definitely means I slack off on double checking that I’ve written things correctly and just assume it’s fine - another good example.

I tend to embrace technology but Elon Musk's monkeys playing computer games via a brain/internet interface has chilled me to the core TBH.

I can't understand why COVID conspiracy theorists spend time making up a conspiracy where one doesn't exist when much, much, much more worrying developments are proactively put out as a 'press release' and they don't bat an eyelid.

@Soubriquet

Yes and no

Things that don’t cost money but time, people are happy to adopt. Anything that’s makes it quicker and easier

Something that can cost a bit more in money, they are a bit more cautious with

I think you are right about things that are free and things that not - but that’s worrying in itself, isn’t it? That corporations wanting something else than financial gain can give away freebies with the goal of doing something more sinister?

I don't know - quicker and easier in theory but quite often stuff expands to fill the gap.

I feel humans are quick to embrace gimmicks that make little meaningful difference, but then reaaalllllyyyy ssslllllooowww to embrace meaningful shifts that could revolutionise our lives and genuinely make us happier and healthier.

e.g. electric driverless mass transit could revolutionise our cities, save us money, time and give us all loads of space and clean air. But not much desire from people to change. We'll carry on with the stinking shitty clogged up roads for a couple of decades yet I expect.

"1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

1. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
2. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

                            - Douglas Adams

The above quote makes me realise that our racy modern world which is constantly changing is much the same as my Grandparents must have felt with the move from horse and cart to first trains then cars then planes. The improvements they saw in medicine probably had as great an impact as modern changes have on us. I am nearly 70 btw.
I don't like the feeling that the world is dictated by the US, China - we are now just hangers on, when in their day we were taking the lead. That's a bit dispiriting.

@Microwaveableteapot

"1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

1. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
2. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

                            - Douglas Adams</div></div>

This.

1. Telephones
2. Smartphones
3. Snapchat

@Microwaveableteapot

"1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

1. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
2. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

                            - Douglas Adams</div></div>

There’s definitely something very true in this. I’m getting towards the end of phase 2 and with it comes a level of skeptism I didn’t hold before 😆