52 Points on why technology is religion, and gadgets are God

 52 Points on why technology is religion, and gadgets are God

 

1. Most technologies by themselves are a great boon.

2. Technologies facilitate and ease at least some functions of life.

3. Most importantly, in the process they also break the barriers in many realms and destroy the status quo of certain individuals who thought certain areas of expertise were their exclusive preserve.

4. In fact, technology has been the greatest unifier and has created immense opportunities for the maximum number of people to do many things.

5. Unfortunately, a certain old generation of people are not comfortable with some aspects of technology; some are dissatisfied with the misuse of certain technology. But technology by itself is not at fault.

6. A few years back I was surprised at even top institutes like Carnegie conducting seminars titled 'Technology versus humankind.'

7. Sense and a sense of balance are necessary to deal with anything.

8. Many things, species, activities, issues, etc., emerge as part of evolution, not necessarily according to our wishes, whims, and wants.

9. We need to learn to adopt, adjust, and create synergy to make the best use of them all.

10. We must neither lament about the things replaced by the emergence of something new nor misuse the newly emerged aspect of anything/technology. Technology is one such thing.

11. Every stride of technology has only enabled humanity to make a huge leap forward.

12. Without the microscope we would not have even known properly the minute aspects of our own physical makeup.

13. Extremism in anything is bad. Even to pass on this message of feeling of annoyance against technology, one must use technology.

14. Unloving criticism is as bad as uncritical love—both are susceptible to overlooking facts and realities.

15. It has become a fashion to condemn everything modern and predominantly used by the present generation and by all or many at present.

16. Surprisingly, this tendency to put down modern trends—irrespective of their importance, impact, and indispensability in some cases—is even adopted by institutions that are supposed to promote them.

17. It is unhealthy to start viewing them as something against all things old and start viewing them as different and dividing factors.

18. We must not forget the inevitable polarity principle in nature and evolution.

19. Lack of understanding of the polarity principle results in wrong perspective and attitude, which leads to an unending list of 'versus': Faithful versus unfaithful; religious versus irreligious; science versus religion; science or religion versus spirituality; tradition versus taboo; and technology versus humanity. These have led to damaging the smooth evolution of the development of humanity and instead led to petrified ideologies, putrefied perspectives, puerile interpretations of many things, and viewing various polarity principles as paradoxes.

20. Technology is religion, and gadgets are the new gods. “We live in a changing universe, and few things are changing faster than our conception of it." Timothy Ferris

21. Science and technology have displaced vague inanities and inane vagueness in many matters.

22. Some morbid minds and manipulative minds manage to unite the luddites of the world with appealing slogans, as Murphy’s law says, "A good slogan can block reasoning and thinking forever" by advancing arguments like Ronald Reagan used to do with his famous one-liners, "I notice that everyone in favor of abortion has already been born."

23. The influence and impact of technology are too obvious, and it has also cleared many areas of confusion that even great academic scholars like Colin McGinn struggle to express: "The head spins in theoretical disarray; no explanatory model suggests itself; bizarre ontologies loom. " There is a feeling of intense confusion, but no clear idea about where the confusion lies."

24. However, the mindset of status quo addicts, who suffer from the usual conflict-generating impulse [of projecting differences out of inherent polarity], suffers from pessimistic closures of cognition. This becomes more dangerous and becomes contagious when peddled through political or religious ideologies.

25. Technology may be credited for accelerating all the processes and bringing the benefits to various spheres of life, like the following: -

 Various political systems, albeit with some shortcomings, have accelerated the establishment of living together of human species as social beings with some specific patterns benefiting the growth of civilization as a functioning organization.

 Art, literature, religion, culture, philosophy, etc. have accelerated, expanded, and in some cases enhanced human thinking, imagination, ideas, etc. to contribute to various facets of human life, organizing it to function efficiently.

 Science has helped human beings to explore, to experiment, and to understand rationally and use that understanding for the betterment of all life forms, including the environment.

26. The relationship between humanity and technology is so firm that no one can even disturb it now.

27. Drucker forum conducted a conference last year titled ‘ Claiming our humanity in the digital age.'

 What is meant by "humanity"? Is it in the possession of someone or somewhere? Has humanity lost in something so bad that there is an imminent need for any of us to claim it to restore it to golden old days of violent invasions in the frenzy to acquire some additional real estate space to redraw national boundaries, blind beliefs forced to be followed based on certain scriptures, selectively fed information through limited channels, etc.?

 Let us find out the facts as honest human beings, not proceed as academicians with some confirmation bias, even if the process tends to be long and leads us into various territories because we are talking about claiming our humanity [whose?] and managing something we have branded as defining the age itself as 'Age of Wars,' 'Age of Reason,' 'Age of Science,' etc.—'The Digital Age.'

28. So, the premise requires covering many facets and a very vast area and depth of aspects /factors to consider understanding Humanity and the digital age, much less claim, manage, unravel them, etc.

The topic manifests a few glaring perceptions and blaring declarations:

       Some thought of concern has popped out about humanity,

 Something is viewed, either real or presumed, as an issue/or a problem/or at least as something causing greater impact and dominating over the rest, namely the overwhelming digital influence called the digital age.

 Reactions based on the thought have come into play.

29. Humanity is more humble, happy, haughty, hopeful, and highly connected, thanks more due to technology born out of a scientific temper meant to make life more comfortable. More importantly and interestingly, humanity is better off with greater awareness and consciousness of the whole environment facilitated through easier access to information for the greater number of people, again thanks to the availability of advanced and affordable technologies.

       This very theme triggers the usual uneasiness created/assumed due to a sense of insecurity born out of generalizing and associating the whole of humanity in terms of some ideological identities and incidents. Let us get it clear: whether we like it or not, whether it is right or wrong, whether it is used or misused, that technology is religion and gadgets are the new gods.

30. Because of the digital age and its technologies, people across the globe are at least remotely participating or aware of what is going on in the world; otherwise, it was a monopoly of a few information-disseminating outfits or media mafia that censored, controlled, endorsed, and directed the whole news.

31. Nowadays we come across common refrains like the following:-

Once upon a time Windows was just a small hole in the wall. An application was something written on paper. A mouse was an animal. A keyboard was only on a piano. Web was a spider’s home. The cut was done with a knife and paste with glue. Apples and blackberries were just fruits and so on. A virus was just a sickness.

                                                                                                   

32. But then those windows allowed less because of their geographical constraints compared to what this window does; that mouse had limited access, but this mouse can bring the world in your hand, especially in a world of cat-and-mouse races. Those keyboards produced only certain vibrations of sounds, but this keyboard uses the keys to open the mind to wander into a broad world of things. That web gave a torrid time to people suffering from arachnophobia [which, incidentally, has been found recently to be one of the most prevalent and ancient phobias ingrained as a part of evolutionary biology], but this web connects minds, cutting across all barriers. this Apple not only keeps the doctor away but makes you feel like keep everything else away with its amazing touch and apps; Blackberry is owners delightful addiction , once you taste its user-friendliness it is difficult to give it up . Virus is a creative and clandestine intruder whose programming skills can be positively used much better than a vaccine.

33. Every technology provides a gadget that is either simple to use or something that requires specialized skills to operate. But their fundamental function and ultimate utility are to enhance and facilitate living by making many things easier, more enjoyable, and comfortable. They leave more time, energy, etc. available for other activities.

                                                      

 Without spectacles most of us would all be grouping about with defective vision.

 Without a microscope, we would have never known the microbes or molecules.

 Without a telescope, we would not have known the details of many other celestial bodies.

 So, every technology gives birth to some instrument/gadget/machine to fulfill a specific need. Without recording devices, we would have lost lot of great music etc.

34. Gadgets are the new gods, mostly omnipresent and omnipotent, and at least help by providing opportunities to realize the omniscient potentialities; technologies are the religions. Even if we don't worship them, at least we cannot do without them [we all use them when all other logical and illogical things fail and when we are alone and incapable of facing our own selves all alone].

35. In fact, can any human being undergo gadget fasting for a day, i.e., no toothbrush, no cooked food, not even coffee, no cups or spoons, but must use only hands and pick raw, uncut vegetables, fruits, grains, etc.? No sitting on chairs, no using any vehicle, and no bed/cot; just sit/stand/sleep on the ground or sand.

36. Technology is not just another religion; it is an inevitable universal religion whose sermons appeal to and apply to everyone. It can be both good and bad depending on how we use it, and it is also capable of offering both good and bad. In the book ‘A brief history of science as seen through the development of scientific instruments,' Thomas Crump explains how each technological invention has shaped our lives in many ways.

37. Like every medium, technology too can be misused, abused, and overused. It is not the fault of technology but that of the users. One can use a knife to save a life through surgery, cut a vegetable, and stab someone to death.

38. We all need to face and accept facts and learn to make the optimum utilization of technology beyond using it as a mere tool for remaining connected on social media, though that is also of great utility.

39. We must mentally accept the immense impact and importance of technology and gadgets.

“All of us have our own inner fears, beliefs, and opinions. These inner assumptions rule and govern our lives. A suggestion has no power in and of itself. Its power arises from the fact that you accept it mentally.” ― Joseph Murphy, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

40. The movie "WALL-E" may become a reality? Yes and no.

41. Sometimes, excessive technological developments are going to drive a human crazily mad. We are already seeing a massive, frustrated workforce in the tech industry.

42. Increased technological advances may cause disturbances for humankind as well. Increasing automation is already taking away many core jobs in the services sector across industries.

43. Let us remember that technology can act as a catalyst for growth / for aiding our everyday lives but cannot take over our lives.

44. Technology is a must, but it must not be presumed to replace the role of every professional. Our problem itself is because we have the following: -a] More experts than victims or issues; b] More critics than performers; c] More media trials than all courts put together; d] More awards than deserving people. More political parties than constituencies. More NGOs working for poor than the number of actual poor people. More departments than number of bureaucrats; h] More criminals than police force; i] More companies than products manufactured; j] More news channels [nuisance channels] than news items—we need to rectify some or all of the above.

45. Technology cannot lessen the role of professionals, advice and suggestions by lawyers, less auditors, less teachers, fewer doctors, less sports persons, less psychological counsellors, less parenting, etc.

46. Technology can replace, no doubt to a certain extent, certain redundant activities and not all the activities. As it is, doctors are sandwiched between the overload of diagnostic equipment (which aids in greater accuracy and is hence indispensable—we can't dismiss the role of X-rays, MRIs, scans, blood tests, etc.) and the pharma industry-produced medical prescriptions (which again is inevitable because a doctor is not a chemist who can set up a unit and manufacture medicines), but every doctor is a specialist who knows how much is too much, who knows to decipher what the diagnostic gadgets reveal, and also what specific medicine produced by pharma industries can be prescribed according to the age and multiple other parameters of the patients.

47. Technological advancements are inevitable aids but not replacement devices for human minds.

48. If technology can replace the role of so many professions, why not use robots to monitor every village and the development activities there and replace politically elected MPs and MLAs?

49. We need to accept the reality that technology offers immense utility to humanity. To put it bluntly from a common man's perspective, it has enhanced various activities that could have remained at best in the wildest mad dreams and imaginations of human beings, be it a bicycle or an airplane or a ship or a car or a telescope or a microscope and so on till the great internet.

50. Why does technology occupy such a disproportionate amount of human attention and occupy the collective human mind’s space and time?

 If we study the brief journey of civilization as a process, we shall observe, in every age, certain specific addictive obsessive frames of reference to encounter, evaluate, and enhance life.

 These obsessive frames of reference tend to predominantly occupy the human mind’s collective space and time because of their importance and impact.

 At present this happens to be the maximum creation and utilization of technology.

51. EXCUSES for regulating or evading technology arise because of these EXCUSES: Excessive Careless Usage and Senseless Extremisms leading to Saturation.

 But just because there is misuse, abuse, underutilization, etc., we can neither blame the thing itself, namely technology, nor can we evade it.

 A sharp knife in a surgeon’s hand can be used for performing a wonderful surgery or killing a nurse nearby.

 However, having said all these, we cannot remain as passive spectators when we are aware of misuse or abuse.

 But we need to devise some simple and practical solutions that are part of our day-to-day life, like in our daily life in all its manifestations—be it an individual's leisure time, social life, or professional or official life—impregnated with balanced activities as part of life and living, then the time spent on excessive technology-based activities may be minimized.

52. However, the dominant role of technology cannot be wished away nor whisked away, as technology is omni-present, omni-valent, omni-attractive, and omni-potent.