A Shocking...er, Lazy Future!

"We must begin to say 'no' to certain kinds of technology and to begin to control technological change because we've now reached the point that technology is so powerful and so rapid that it could destroy us unless we control it." I spoke of the trouble and problems of technology’s planned obsolescence in my first post about my likes and dislikes. “Future Shock” is a perfect example of the dangers, but I believe that the film and its ideas do go a bit too far into a twilight-zone style horror story. On one hand, we cannot say no to technology that saves lives (well we could, but that’s a different morality argument) and on the other, we shouldn’t say yes to technology that destroys lives. I feel like picking and choosing what technology we make use of would spawn a morality war instead of seeing how it’s use would actually affect us. I must say that this is a slippery slope. We cannot deny the appeal of technology that makes life easier, but I do agree with the idea that we must learn to say when enough is enough. As I write this, my mind is flooded with visions of a post-apocalyptic, “Wall-E” style living situation where we’re all completely overweight, pumped with processed food-like liquids and perpetually confined to a hover chair with a holographic screen that shows only advertisements. It’s tough to think that that reality is impossible when today’s innovations can sometimes completely change our daily lives. All we can do in the meantime is look for the signs and symptoms of Future Shock and attempt to treat them…just kidding. -Susanne Makosky