Technology, Robots, and Progress

         

Maria Kozdroy

Blog #1

*Please note, this is to be used as a response to class readings and discussion.

  

At what point will technology supersede the minds of humans, in a way that changes the ways humans live on a day to day basis?  This question is becoming more and more prevalent to today’s changing society, as a result of depending more and more on advanced technology and robots. 

According to Leo Marx, doctorate in History of American Civilization, “This respect [from the Chinese] for American wealth and power was flattering but disconcerting, for we often found ourselves reminding the Chinese of serious shortcomings, even some terrible dangers, inherent in the Western mode of industrial development,” (Marx, 1).  Traveling around the world, cultures and societies differ greatly from those in the United States.  Each society relies on different ways to live, different ways to enjoy life, and different ways to succeed and advance in life.  Many countries have the goal of exploiting knowledge to progress to eventually become the “best” society in the world ; however, what does the “best” society even entail.  Perhaps, China may continue on developing a society in which minds come together to create a society that is very sophisticated, and perhaps not realize the consequences of possibly harmful consequences.  Yet, Marx acknowledges America is a wealthy country with different goals--to create the “best” society over other countries.  It seems to me that America wants to progress and triumph over other countries, in any way possible, even if that means not realizing the consequences of innovation.  America has been transforming from the enlightenment belief to a much more technocratic belief of new ideas, in a somewhat rushed way.  Which of these societies though is better for advancement in life and time and will not destroy the cultural values of humans, i.e. take away more jobs from humans?

What is the rush anyways with creating such a “manifest destiny”?  Why do humans feel obligated to progress?  There are many poorer societies in the world, like that of Ethopia or Sierra Leone, which drinking water is a rarity.  If China and the United States have become so sophisticated in technology, why haven’t either country transformed the much less wealthier societies?  Will progress eventually destroy human awareness? 

On the other hand, several innovative societies have begun to develop robots, yet not even to help other societies but attack those that are moving at or an even quicker pace in technological development.  How will this benefit either society?  It appears it does not benefit nor destroy the opposing society.   For example, during World War I, bombs were brought into war, killing many innocent individuals, and did not help speed up the war.  These man-made cylinders full of chlorine gas were used by Germany on the United States and others.  Did Germany gain anything from this?  Yes, they gained the title of having the first chlorine gas attack, yet that only made the U.S. and France do the same right back.  Technology now-a-days correlates with this phenomena.  When either a society, country, company, etc. has an innovation, it is likely it will be replicated. 

Technology and progress will forever be questioned as helping or obstructing society.  Technological advances tend to only create more problems between different groups and societies, and peoples’ lives.