I’ve come across another arresting bit of philosophy in 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl. On page 105 the author quotes Martin Heidegger. It’s interesting to me, because it affirms my own view on technology — a view that I’ve been unable to express in as cogent a manner in my own words. I’ve always felt technology was a double-edged sword. Technology itself is not “good” or “bad”, but for those who espouse it as the answer to all our woes, I would disagree. In fact, I would submit that it is the cause of a goodly number of them [see my previous posts: Don’t Monkey With My Sun and More Geo-Engineering Hijinx]. I have held the view for a while now that technology does not solve our problems; it merely changes them. But the following words from Heidegger (framed and expanded on by the author of the book, Daniel Pinchbeck) go even deeper into the problem and expose the very kernel of the matter:
The philospher Martin Heidegger noted that the essence of technology cannot be found in any machine or artifact; the essence of technology is the entire “enframing” of reality that is our modern or postmodern worldview. “The threat to man does not come in the first instance from the potentially lethal machines and apparatus of technology,” Heidegger wrote in his essay “The Question Concerning Technology.” “The actual threat has already afflicted man in his essence.” Technology, he notes, is based on an ordering of reality that turns everything — including people — into a “standing reserve,” a resource to be utilized for rationalized ends. The barren architecture of the vast housing projects on the edges of modern cities, where masses of humanity are warehoused as surplus labor, is a natural extension of this worldview.
Heidegger pinpoints our modern deeply-ingrained mentality for seeing all things as resources as the seat of all that is wrong with our current incarnation of civilization. Our thinking in this way devalues and commoditizes all things, leaving nothing sacred. This is the basis upon which we march forward rapaciously gobbling up all that we can scrounge in the holy name of “Progress”.
The author goes on to say (and it’s unclear here whether he’s paraphrasing Heidegger or not):
That more speed, more information, or any form of quantity-based extension […] of our current human reality is somehow valuable, in and of itself, needs to be questioned. An alternative perspective is offered by Eastern mysticism, which has no such vision of progress.
I touched obliquely on this idea in The Blackberry Scourge. Does unlimited 24 hour access to information really make our lives better? Does it make us happy? Does it let us better focus on the things that serve to make us a happier society? My answers to these questions are: No. No. And absolutely not. So why are we doing it? And how on earth do we stop?
Technology separates us from the realness of our existence while posing as a connector.
If we can connect with each other faster does the quality of our connection enhance our relationships and further the world?
Do we really need to be attached to a cell phone, blackberry, ipod and computer all the times 24/7?
The bombardment of constant techno trivalities leaves little or no time for reflective thought, on your own to contemplate life’s mysteries.
Throughout history written letters (yes with a pen) became historical records and keepsakes. Wonderful written journals and letters now transposed into books are read with great muse, but has not heralded or inspired a return to the pen.
The world is quickly forgetting the art of writing a letter or sending a card and emails are mindlessly forgotten or deleted and are not treasured or kept as keepsakes.
The time is gone to consider a letter from Africa or other distant places as special. How many of our own letters go unread to the trash box?
How much of our history through letters during war, or personal crisis is lost? Even the Bible is a collection of letters.
How special is it to get a card in the mail?
Some would argue that we are more connected today than at any time in our history, but simply being connected via technology does not ensure we are truly ‘connected’ with friends, family and co workers.
Having email and world information 24/7 DISCONNECTS us from the neighbor next door, the friend in need and even our own needs.
Can we stop is such a good question.
I am afraid pandora’s box has been opened. Where will it lead?
Dunno…as far as we are willing to follow I suppose.