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many years ago, a man named Alvin Toffler wrote a book where he argued that the rate of technological change was going so fast, people could no longer adapt, and were suffering a form of culture shock, or as he put it Future Shock.
Since the book came out, the rate of technological change has only increased, and the effects have only gotten worse.
I believe this is one reason for the increase in popularity of movements that wish to slow, stop, or even reverse some of those changes.
It remains to be seen to what degree those attempts will be successful, but I think some kind of conflict between them and those who embrace the changes must happen, and regardless of the outcome there will be fallout.
I kind of wish I could watch the results from orbit, or maybe from another planet altogether, because people like me are in the crosshairs of this conflict.
And that is not a comfortable place to be.
Comments
Rapid technology evolution
That is so true. During my last years in high school back in the late 1980s I was strong proponent of using computers towards the so-called paper-less office. I also wanted to be at least at the cutting edge (if not the bleeding edge) of technology. But during the last 15-20 years I have become rather disillusioned with the whole concept of the paper-less office, as well as the implementations I had the “privilege” to work with.
Now-a-days the so-called mainstream of technology is generally more than enough for my wants and needs. And I have gained bitter experience that going paper-less, also leaves you proof-less when push comes to shove. Especially when dealing with legal disputes and with government agencies. So I always demand a paper receipt when money changes hands!
The Shockwave Rider
I must also reference The Shockwave Rider, a sci-fi story written by John Brunner after he read Future Shock.
In this the hero, in a future dystopia, is a savant who can "hack" the pervasive computer systems which tie everything tightly together. He actually coined the word "worm" to describe a program which can replicate itself throughout a network much like the way a tapeworm does in the body.
I, too, having spent 40+ years in IT, am becoming increasingly uneasy about the way that things are progressing; not the actual hardware per se but the way that everything has to be misused by con artists to do nothing but make them more money (and d**n the consequences). I think this says more about human nature than anything else.
Penny