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
