Nowadays, people live in a world where technological advances come one after another at a constantly increasing pace. On the one hand, lifestyle improvements that come with it cannot be simply discarded. On the other hand, technology contributes to various factors detrimental to human health, the environment, and civilization. In her writing about technology, Green highlights the danger of technology with an example of gun control (3). In the meantime, Gilding mentions the looming crisis of overpopulation and economic growth beyond natural limitations (“Paul Gilding: The Earth is full” 00:00:27). After considering the pros and cons of technology rises a logical question, whether technology can be regarded as “neutral.” In this context, I believe that closer inspection of the matter will prove the technology itself is innocent, and the true answer lies in human psychology.
Paul Gilding provides a detailed example of the problem that Earth faces today. The economy created by human society at the moment exceeds the planet it hosts in a 1:1.5 ratio (“Paul Gilding: The Earth is full” 00:01:13). Moreover, the plans consider sustainability only nominally, mainly focusing on further increasing the economical growth. The issue regarding non-renewable resource depletion due to technological progress presents the primary concern of his performance.
Lelia Green also argues that technology does not positively impact society. In her main argument, she states three main factors driving technological advancement: armed forces, bureaucracy, and corporate power (Green, 9). She also underlines the level of societal and technological interconnection. In this context, the statement “guns are neutral, it’s up to us how we use them” defies it and, thus, proves to be oblivious of the actual state (Green, 3). Overall, the technology is described as far from neutral, to say the least.
In my opinion, it is futile to oppose the mentioned arguments. I agree that technological advances have their drawbacks; for example, the environmental pollution caused by limitless production in the 20th century – the consequences of climate change are ubiquitous. Nevertheless, I still prefer the more optimistic approach to technology. The mentioned issues are known to society, and it is actively trying to develop the needed solutions. The transfer to renewable resources is imminent, even though it will probably be caused by the absence of their counterparts. Solar panels, wind farms, hydroelectricity – these technologies are already available today and continue to develop to replace oil eventually. In addition, I can personally contribute to the transfer by choosing an electric car over the regular ones, which, among other things, is an achievement of technological progress. Moreover, the advance in medicine cannot be ignored in the context of the overall value of technology – many diseases previously deemed incurable are nowadays easily treated. Consequently, there are two facts in the discussion: some technology can be harmful, and some technology can be positive.
The final summary of technological pros and cons can answer the dilemma – technology is overall neutral. The recent economical growth and concerns exceed the possible natural limits; however, the solutions are being developed at the same time to avoid the most damaging consequences. Technology that fuels human ambitions and lust for power serves as one of the worst examples for society; nevertheless, it can also bring life and improve the lifestyle. In conclusion, the picture of technology combines black and white paint, which results in various shades of gray. Luckily, most of us can take the brush and contribute to the painting.
Works Cited
Green, Lelia. Communication, technology and society. Sage, 2002.
“Paul Gilding: The Earth is full.” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 2012, Web.