Technological Utopianism? Power and Mechanical Efficiency Without Moral Restraint
Certainly technological progress can lead to very positive changes, however, that is only if we understand that technology is supposed to serve humanity, not the other way around. Yet, today, technology is advancing so rapidly--exponentially--without time for conscious moral intention or consideration. Previous rules, mores, and norms--for better or worse--are discarded without blinking an eye. So, are we wise enough, moral enough, intelligent enough to control technology? Artificial intelligence? Apparently not, as you will see, we have become subservient to the neutral machine/technology, devoid of any moral or spiritual value and/or meaning. .
For one, we've become more isolated than ever before, substituting electronics for real face-to-face human interaction and outdoor activity.
Two, life, it seems, has become more complex, time consuming, and frustrating, even though technology is supposed to simplify not to mention, increase quality and recreational time.
Three, despite easy access to information, we're dumber and more dependent (on technology) than ever. While we have access to lots of information--way too much, in fact--information isn't knowledge if you don't understand it. I mean, how can one have knowledge or understanding when computers do everything?
Four, as we grow increasingly ignorant and more reliant on these emerging technologies, those who pull the strings of government and society have been and continue to be very busy translating information superiority into combat power. In other words, post modern warfare or network centric warfare to master the human domain.
The network centric warfare platform takes the individual decision making out of the equation. In other words, the system is making the decisions for you. Left to robots--real terminators--death will be on a massive scale few can imagine because believe it or not, human beings do not naturally kill other human beings. They must be brainwashed, indoctrinated, etc., to kill. Hence, the proliferation of electronic warfare games for children.
Links:
Failed Thermostat: The illusion of Control in an Information Rich Age
How the CIA made Google.
"INSURGE INTELLIGENCE, a new crowd-funded investigative journalism project, breaks the exclusive story of how the United States intelligence community funded, nurtured and incubated Google as part of a drive to dominate the world through control of information. Seed-funded by the NSA and CIA, Google was merely the first among a plethora of private sector start-ups co-opted by US intelligence to retain ‘information superiority.’Read more...
The origins of this ingenious strategy trace back to a secret Pentagon-sponsored group, that for the last two decades has functioned as a bridge between the US government and elites across the business, industry, finance, corporate, and media sectors. The group has allowed some of the most powerful special interests in corporate America to systematically circumvent democratic accountability and the rule of law to influence government policies, as well as public opinion in the US and around the world. The results have been catastrophic: NSA mass surveillance, a permanent state of global war, and a new initiative to transform the US military into Skynet.
