Technology: on balance is it good or bad

[commonsense]

First off, some definitions only for the purpose of discussion on this thread;

Technology—broadly defined as anything created after the Industrial Revolution.

On balance—overall or on the whole; all things considered.

Good—anything that has a beneficial effect on humans.

Bad—anything that has a deleterious effect on humans.

No replies concerning these definitions will be appreciated. They are broad enough to facilitate a discussion on technology per se.

Discussion:

The promise of technology was that it would improve the lives of humans by making life easier. Has this come to be? Consider the last time you dealt with an automated telephone answering system as compared to speaking with a real person. Consider a situation when your GPS has frustrated you. Consider a time when you called a helpline for technical support only to be given instructions that you can’t understand. Consider modern rockets and bombs. Consider the unhealthy pollution caused by fossil fuel driven vehicles. In view of the many unintended consequences of technology, can you honestly think that, on balance, technology has been good for human beings?

The current fruition of technology has improved the human condition in a number of ways. Advances have been made in the development and production of new medicines. Advances in all forms of transportation have made the world smaller. Likewise, communication has made the world a more interconnected space. AI, while it may be considered a double edged sword, has crept into areas of human life such that it is becoming ubiquitous. Technology has increased agricultural production tremendously. Can you really say that technology, on the whole, has been a detriment to humans?

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

[FlashDangerpants]

Technology—broadly defined as anything created after the Industrial Revolution.

I don't really know when the Industrial Revolution ended, so it's unclear which tech happened after it. Is the oldest tech in question the motor car, the fax machine, penicillin, heavier than air flight, those old IBM things with the holes punched in them...?

[nemos]

Technology is a set of knowledge and skills (even sharpening a wooden stick with a sharp stone chip and burning it in a fire) - is anyone really ready to give that up ?
After all, even a sharpened stick can be used in many different ways. The evil is not in the technology but in the people.
In fact, it is probably only human beings who inherently conceive of evil, and only human beings who inherently sow it.
No doubt a grenade in the hands of a monkey can cause great destruction.

In fact, it is not impossible that reliance on technological progress could lead to the biological degradation of human beings - because we do not necessarily have to develop our biological functions if we can rely on technology.
"Why do I need to know geography if I have a driver?"
But still - is anyone really ready to give that up ?

[commonsense]

Technology—broadly defined as anything created after the Industrial Revolution.

I don't really know when the Industrial Revolution ended, so it's unclear which tech happened after it. Is the oldest tech in question the motor car, the fax machine, penicillin, heavier than air flight, those old IBM things with the holes punched in them...?

I don’t know which of these inventions came first. Why is this important to you?

[attofishpi]

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

I think technology is fantastic (positive). Ever since a wee nipper I'd day dream about what the future would have in store and so far, I like!

I can video chat to people around the world basically for free. I can work from home if I want. I don't need to find a wife to spend the day manually scrubbing clothes - I have a bloody washing machine!

I can race in VR on all the major circuits against other humans from around the world (*bloody awesome fun).

The computer revolution really took hold with the advent of the internet, and now anyone can learn anything for FREE!!

The next big revolution is about to take place with Artificial Intelligence and of course robots (concerning, but bring it on.)

You would be familiar with the "technological singularity" term, well, I think we are at that point, we, humanity can no longer predict with any degree of accuracy what the next 10 years will be. The AI revolution is going to shake the foundations of our society.

[Age]

Some technology is 'good', while some technology is 'bad'.

I thought that 'this' was PRETTY OBVIOUS.

As can be, ONCE AGAIN, CLEARLY SEEN here is that human beings, BACK THEN, when this was being written, REALLY DID LOOK AT and VIEW 'things' as being either/or.

[attofishpi]

[commonsense]

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

I think technology is fantastic (positive). Ever since a wee nipper I'd day dream about what the future would have in store and so far, I like!

I can video chat to people around the world basically for free. I can work from home if I want. I don't need to find a wife to spend the day manually scrubbing clothes - I have a bloody washing machine!

I can race in VR on all the major circuits against other humans from around the world (*bloody awesome fun).

The computer revolution really took hold with the advent of the internet, and now anyone can learn anything for FREE!!

The next big revolution is about to take place with Artificial Intelligence and of course robots (concerning, but bring it on.)

You would be familiar with the "technological singularity" term, well, I think we are at that point, we, humanity can no longer predict with any degree of accuracy what the next 10 years will be. The AI revolution is going to shake the foundations of our society.

I share your sentiments, however I would go further with concerns about the technical singularity. I fear that we may have already let an evil genie out of the bottle.

[commonsense]

Some technology is 'good', while some technology is 'bad'.

I thought that 'this' was PRETTY OBVIOUS.

As can be, ONCE AGAIN, CLEARLY SEEN here is that human beings, BACK THEN, when this was being written, REALLY DID LOOK AT and VIEW 'things' as being either/or.

I agree with your entire post.

[commonsense]

This is more of a conundrum than it may appear at first.

[attofishpi]

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

I think technology is fantastic (positive). Ever since a wee nipper I'd day dream about what the future would have in store and so far, I like!

I can video chat to people around the world basically for free. I can work from home if I want. I don't need to find a wife to spend the day manually scrubbing clothes - I have a bloody washing machine!

I can race in VR on all the major circuits against other humans from around the world (*bloody awesome fun).

The computer revolution really took hold with the advent of the internet, and now anyone can learn anything for FREE!!

The next big revolution is about to take place with Artificial Intelligence and of course robots (concerning, but bring it on.)

You would be familiar with the "technological singularity" term, well, I think we are at that point, we, humanity can no longer predict with any degree of accuracy what the next 10 years will be. The AI revolution is going to shake the foundations of our society.

I share your sentiments, however I would go further with concerns about the technical singularity. I fear that we may have already let an evil genie out of the bottle.

I disagree (for now). AI as it currently stands is THE best (single point) resource on the internet, I use it extensively...it's merely a tool at this stage, it has nothing it can do beyond the bounds of what humans incite it to do - and therein is the dilemma.

Just to float my own boat, but in my novel Alpha Two (set in 2105) A.I. by law is not permitted access to the internet - not that it couldn't be circumvented of course, but the reasons are obvious as to why it's not a good idea for strong AI to have free will access to all the connected electronics of the planet.

For anyone interested in a free read:- https://www.androcies.com/alphatwo.php (PDF, MOBI, EPUB)

[Age]

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

I think technology is fantastic (positive).

So, to 'this one' at least, pollution, and thus what kills and destroys, IS fantastic (positive).

Ever since a wee nipper I'd day dream about what the future would have in store and so far, I like!

I can video chat to people around the world basically for free. I can work from home if I want. I don't need to find a wife to spend the day manually scrubbing clothes - I have a bloody washing machine!

I can race in VR on all the major circuits against other humans from around the world (*bloody awesome fun).

The computer revolution really took hold with the advent of the internet, and now anyone can learn anything for FREE!!

The next big revolution is about to take place with Artificial Intelligence and of course robots (concerning, but bring it on.)

You would be familiar with the "technological singularity" term, well, I think we are at that point, we, humanity can no longer predict with any degree of accuracy what the next 10 years will be. The AI revolution is going to shake the foundations of our society.

[Impenitent]

technology is technology ... nothing but a tool

how humans may use it is good or bad

-Imp

[Age]

technology is technology ... nothing but a tool

how humans may use it is good or bad

-Imp

How could using pollution be good?

[attofishpi]

What is your position as to whether technology has been an overall positive or a negative for human beings?

I think technology is fantastic (positive).

So, to 'this one' at least, pollution, and thus what kills and destroys, IS fantastic (positive).
If fact, what can be CLEARLY SEEN here is that 'you' seem to be TOTALLY DISHEARTENED by the Fact that I, sometimes, SHOW WHERE, WHEN, and WHY, EXACTLY, 'your' VIEWS ARE FALSE, Wrong, Inaccurate, Incorrect, DISTORTED, or TWISTED. For example, like when I SHOWED just how Truly ABSURD and RIDICULOUS 'your' VIEW IS about how 'you' think that the 'technology', which is KILLING 'you', human beings, and other animals, as well as the ONLY planet and home that 'you' have, is FANTASTIC (positive).

Hey, Age…do you ever catch a bus, plane, automobile, motorbike, pogo-stick?
Does your method of communicating your worthless drivel to us on the forum entirely run on solar\wind energy? (woops, that’s technology too you idiot)
When the Sun goes down do you light a candlestick?
Do you not fart methane? Is that why you are so full of gas?
Do you not eat food brought to shops in trucks?

Hey, dictate to us mere ‘human beings’ how much better you are in NOT polluting planet Earth.
..and while you are at it, since clearly you see technology as a NEGATIVE for human beings, tell us why technological developments in capturing Solar\wind\tidal\geothermal energy IS a NEGATIVE for the environment of planet fucking Earth.