Technology is not Magic
Technology is not magic. It might, at times, seem like magic, but it is not magic. One of the interesting things about technology is that it begets more technology. The more tools we have the more tools we can create. The creation of tools, in and of itself, is not necessarily good or bad. How we use the tools we create is good or bad.
For example, let us look at what is referred to as social media. The websites that commonly are thought to comprise social media are merely tools enabling people to conveniently communicate with one another. This could be quite good if utilized for a noble purpose. However, if we simply use social media to kill time then an otherwise potentially valuable tool becomes a time waster.
The creation of more and more technology brings into question the future of the labor force. If a variety of tasks can be automated, and if automation saves money, we can expect to see automation exerting greater pressure on the labor market, particularly when it comes to so called unskilled labor. Greater advents in technology, particularly in robotics, mean that the working public will have to become more educated and more skilled in order to stay competitive.
Lifelong education seems likely to become the rule rather than the exception.
In the world of business, no amount of technology, in the near term, is going to, by itself, replace critical, insightful thinkers who are able to, through vision and effort, come up with entrepreneurial solutions to meet a host of society’s needs and or desires.
Is it possible that further into the future, machines will do our thinking for us? I believe this is possible only if we allow it. In other words, as long as we human beings remain vital and productive, we will focus on utilizing our tools as tools, rather than relying on them as magic amulets to solve not only humanity’s basic needs but our own ontological and cosmological conundrums as well.
Image courtesy of [KROMKRATHOG] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
*Authors note: You might see this column pop up online in a newspaper, under the name Both Sides. I am publishing this column here first at CYInterview.com. For a bunch of years, I have been writing newspaper columns. Since my columns have received a good response on CYInterview, I thought I would share it with you. Hope you enjoy.
You can reach me with your questions and comments at Jay@CYinterview.com Like today’s column? Check back frequently.