Technology Will Save the World

Today in the university and business world alike, it is hard to go any length of time without hearing something along the lines of:

“Innovative technologies have the ability to solve our economic, social, and environmental, crisis.”

The sad thing is that this could not be any farther from the truth.

First, let me say that I am a tireless advocate for saving trees, and there was a time when I use to think that my computer was actually accomplishing this. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that not only was my computer not saving paper, it was actually causing more problems.

Allow me to explain:

If someone can tell me what every component of your computer (iPad, Smartphone etc.) is made of, AND where it came from – and by this I mean raw materials, I will write you a cheque. The crazy thing is, we can’t! No big deal right? It seems like a clean enough product.  I doubt anything too “unfriendly” was used to make it.   .   .  Even if we ignore any kind of labour issues, (and there are many) the environmental impact for one electronic device is astronomical compared to say-- a big old stack of paper.   

It gets worse.

 The rise of personal technology devices, and yes that includes desktop computers, has allowed us to spend BILLIONS of dollars on complexity. Gone is the day when you could trust your neighbours company without a 50 page contract, (which by the way, NO ONE CAN READ ANYWAY!) Massive corporations spend significant brain power, and money on “mitigating risk,” (ie watching their back) and looking for “contractual opportunities” (chances to screw over the sleepy competitor). And no I don’t mean by creating a new product to benefit society. I mean copyrights, patents, litigation, and a war over the “letter” versus the “intent” of the law which has become so complex it is almost nonsensical.  In case you think I am just picking on corporations, the exact same problem is rampant in our massive government bureaucracies as well. This is why we have Bills that are over 1000 pages long (and yes they were typed on a computer, and then ALSO printed so that people can “read them.”)  This speaks to another issue that I will likely write about soon, and that is the extreme complexity of human beings, and why “big solutions” will never work.

To top it all off we live in a superficial consumption driven society that says I need to buy a new laptop because mine is 4 years old and doesn’t have Windows 7. I admit that it is normal to want new things. When I hold a brand new iPhone or Blackberry in my hand a wave of excite flows over me, and I think about how much smoother and faster it is than my old phone. BUT, if I stop and put it in perspective there is absolutely no reason for me to purchase the new device when my existing device is functioning.  Sure my laptop might take 5mins to turn on .   .   . SO WHAT! (Watch this video for humour related to this point) I still have a computer more powerful then I need, oh AND  I can easily carry it around in a backpack. That is crazy. Of course, the most unfortunate thing is that my old technology is built to break down, and inevitably be unfixable sometime soon. A big thank-you to liquid modernity, and the “economic growth fetish” for that.  However, despite the lack of longevity in our products I think we ought to at least make an effort to use things for their entire life span!

And no, I will not be in the line up for the newest iPad. 

P.s. Why do we picture the future without nature!?