technology_society

How would you make your technology choices ?

Consider this.

A summary lifted from Top Ten Tech Trends Transforming Humanity

  • We are hyper-connecting the world
  • Solar/Renewables cheaper than coal
  • Glimpsing the end of cancer and disease
  • Progress on extending human life
  • Amazing successes with stem cells
  • The Year of Autonomous Vehicles
  • Here Come Drones and Flying Cars
  • The March of Artificial Intelligence
  • Physics & Exploration
  • Conquest of Commercial Space

My daughter had some sustainable development project and I casually looked up the sustainable development goals of UNDP. The summary is as follows

  • No Poverty
  • Zero Hunger
  • Good Health and Well Being
  • Quality Education
  • Gender Equality
  • Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Reduced Inequalities
  • Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Climate Action
  • Life Below Water
  • Life on Land
  • Peace Justice and Strong Institutions
  • Partnership for the goals

Somehow these two events , me reading the technology trends and the UNDP sustainable goals happened in succession. Otherwise I will not be the one to start relating.

I started wondering, what technology trends are contributing towards the sustainable goals ?

I hasten to add, I am not taking the holier than thou attitude. These are just questions running through my head.

What should technology’s responsibility or impact should be ?

Does it have a responsibility towards the quality of life in society ?

Incidentally these technology trends are also called as ‘Transforming Humanity’

Does eradicating poverty get as much mind space as driverless cars ?

Has the ability to be one message away instantaneously improved the quality of our communication, connection and life ?

Are these trends widening the digital divide or narrowing it ?

Are they helping in levelling the playing field ?

Are we paying attention to the opportunity cost of affordable convenience ?

I could be naive here, but how do we measure technology’s impact on society ?

How do we as a society know if we are progressing or deteriorating?

When my mother starts and ends her day with youtube and whatsapp, have I enabled her curiosity or conditioned her spirit accidentally ?

When I gave a ipad to my son and nexus to my daughter , did I inadvertently make them couch potatoes and destroyed their sense of going out and playing?

Questions, Questions and possibly more Questions. I do not seem to know the answers. I am not able to connect the dots looking either forward or backward.

I am an eternal optimist.

But if given a choice between

Having a refrigerator that will automatically check my grocery levels and place an order at the neighbouring store for the items that need to be refilled

and

Me opening the refrigerator , figuring out what to buy, walking to the neighbouring store, exchange some pleasantries and getting the items that need to be refilled

What would I choose ?

My answer would be or rather my current state seems to be  I seem to be working to make the former happen, while desiring the latter.

I seem to be going through a heavy dose of cognitive dissonance.

Like many things, this too shall pass.

What would you choose ?

In similar circumstances what has been your choices ?

Enjoy Maadi (Have Fun)

Zunder