Is tech really bad?

This has been a common thing you hear in the Bay Area over the last few years. With Facebook in Congressional hearings and facing a campaign to delete, Google having issues with activists, the Amazon union saga, and the growing awareness and concern about privacy, it does make sense there is concern. But to say that all things tech are bad? I do not agree.

Technology consists of discoveries and tools that humans made for them. On the theoretical side near cutting edge science, it might be more about satisfying curiosity, but on the other side are practical tools to meet present needs.

I have often wondered how people will write with pencils on paper in buildings with heaters and water pipes, wearing glasses and watches and shoes and chapstick, and then saying they dislike technology. They drive in cars, fly in planes, watch TV, but no, all technology is terrible. The best answer for this I have found is a supposed saying by Alan Kay (?) that “technology is what was developed during a person’s lifetime, everything else is environment.” (Sacha Cohen as) Ali G laughably explores this point in the ‘techmology’ clip (hence the ‘misspelling’ of this URL).

Now, tech can be used for bad, but that is because it is simply a tool. This is true non-weapons turned into weapons, and the potential for discoveries to enable great destruction was felt greatly when building the nuclear bomb. But the tech is not inherently bad, it’s up to the people and community and organization and society to decide what they want and how to use it.

Yet there are so many examples of tech for good.

How about restoring sight to the blind with gene therapy, letting someone paralyzed write again.

If you doubt this, I encourage you to spend some time in nature. I just completed a multi-day hike with some friends, and life is very hard and slow away from our normal existence. This is with using cutting edge tech for water, lightweight gear, etc.

Let’s make technology for humans again, to make our lives better. These are the kind of things I’m exploring now.