Do you think public self analysis is important for the development of a society?

Question

Is literature and literary criticism still important in a technological age? Why?

Answer 1

Well literature and literary criticism are like London to the Tahiti of technology! LOL Okay, bad metaphor, sorry. What I mean is that of course thinking, self-examination, analysis, etc is important to a society...that's how we grow, mature, expand. Technology is for the everyman, higher thinking is for the elite. I'm not saying that one is born elite, that wealth makes elite, that those into technology are non-intellectuals, or ignorant of intellectual pursuits, blah blah blah, what I am saying is that technology is about making life faster, more efficient, easier....it doesn't necessarily work that way but that's the function of tech in society. Critical thinking is the opposite of all of that. We need both sides of the room to live in the middle.

Answer 2

yes and yes. we don't grow without examining our assumptions, our ideas and our society. technology is just a tool to enable our search not a purpose in and of itself.