Technology's False Positives

Technology is such a seductive option for the salvation of humanity from the terrifying world of environmental disaster-apocalypse that surely awaits us all in the future. I think the real appeal really just comes from the idea that with a little bit of science that you or I do not necessarily understand, we could Revolutionize Something. There are technological fixes out there for small scale problems, and the most successful and least disruptive of these seem to attempt mimicry of nature's systems. People need technological literacy on a global scale in order to see the self-restriction of technological industry. If Subsaharan Africans who faced mass starvation as a result of the 1970s Green Revolution funded by the IMF and World Bank had increased access to affordable technology, we could perhaps see a better rounded approach to the greening of agriculture as it effects global carbon emissions and the empowerment of local people.

Bill McKibben talks about the role of the internet in bringing together the global community, with the expansion of the internet's connection to more diverse peoples from ethnic and economic class issues it could be supposed that first world and third world might collide more creatively in terms of technological development. In this way, yes, perhaps technology could "save" us. However, the trend is ever towards extremes. As much as our communities are expanded, our access to each other as human beings increased, some of this inevitably moves us away from our contact on the -face-to-face level. When everything is from a distance I wonder how connected people feel to their own backyards.

Technology in terms of robots and environmental tech like what we discussed last class I am always skeptical of; how far has any of that kind of thinking brought us? Metal trees to replace real trees for carbon output sound make me sad. On an elemental level that is how I feel. The rising global population concerns me more for the CO2 levels than maximized efficiency trees. We need, rather, a return to older ways I would say. Good old fashioned education and proactive work. Sex and environmental education, on a global level. Education education education holds the height of technological hope for me personally. Only education and action can save us.