Question #4 - Technology

For my journal entry, I am going to focus just on the first group of questions – on whether or not technology will save us. I personally believe that if something is going to save us, technology will be a part of it. For our world to get better humans either need to go back to a more simplistic way of living (go backwards), or go towards the future. Going towards the future would mean that technological advances would have to help us. I think that humans, specifically Americans, like their lifestyle. I think that telling someone that they need to resort back to a way of living 200-300 years ago would result in some pretty nasty responses. Americans like to find new and better ways of doing things, they do not give up on a current system and return to a older one. However, it is possible that they might get rid of their current situation (which is completely destroying the environment) because something better and more efficient has come along. This is why I think that not only technology will save up, but that it has to save us. In environmental terms this means a few things. One, technology will have to improve in such a way that it betters our environment. It also has to be done in such a way that affluence or consumption does not continue to increase. Furthermore, technology cannot wipe out living species or take away more of natural resources, but it should work to protect those things. Humans must also make sure that they are in “control,” because we do not want future technology removing the capability for humans to think or act. Technology must be used as a tool to help steer the world in the right direction, but it must be done strategically and have its limitations.