does anyone think that humans rely on too much technology?

Question

a long time ago people survived with out it.if we lost the stuff we had today what would happen.how can we stop it.

Answer 1

There is good technology and bad technology, there is no reason why we need television, automobiles, jets, missiles, and etc. if we all just accepted that we are all humans and there is no need to fight over one religion and just worship wisdom together in that if you respect others they will respect you and that not respecting and understanding one another and correcting each other with kindness is what has led us to the foolishness of developing the technologies that can kill massive amounts of people and the anti-social technologies like television and cd players and the pollution-causing technolgies like automobiles and jets, the creation of all these technologies is related to capitalism and competion which are all foolish as history has proven because it is what has led us to the misery of the modern era with all the stress and worries we have which cause many people to have a weak immune system so they die from diseases rather than from old age or they develop mental problems from all the stress and worries of modern society and its foolish competition and veneration of foolish things like cars, sex, money, looks, and entertainment rather than wisdom and spending time with each other and learning from one another's mistakes and spending our time wisely and thinking before we do any action and thinking before we speak and being patient.

Answer 2

Let's begin by distinguishing science (the quest for knowledge using the scientific method) from technology (applying scientific knowledge via engineering to create mechanisms of various kinds). I think that science should have no restrictions. Engineering technological artifacts, however, is another thing. I think we could survive very well without a lot of the stuff we have (but how would capitalists survive without a lot of unnecessary junk to sell?), or at least that some of the stuff should be different. For example, do we really need a "family" sedan (with four seats or more) for every human on earth? Or, would a one or two-seater do just as well? Do we need the internal combustion engine, or would a battery-operated unit work just as well? Do we need to burn all that electricity to dry our clothes, or could we use the Chinese method of just hanging the clothes outside to dry? Do we really need the 12000 or so chemicals we use to clean ourselves, our houses, our cars, etc., or could we eliminate most of the toxins? Do we really need sitdown lawnmowers (for fat people), or could we reduce obesity by using the old-fashioned lawnmowers (push and pull)?

Answer 3

Umm, up to today, I would have said yes I think it is too much. Today, I discovered that I have River Blindness (although before the blindness part) and that there is now a drug that can cure me. Without the technology and experimentation I wouldn't have a life.
So now that's a sometimes we rely too much on technology. I mean who needs reality TV? And I'd like to shoot all the folk who use spy cameras for abusive purposes.

Answer 4

What would happen if we lost all of the technology we have today, is that we would go back to leading the same (miserable) lifestyle that we led when the technology was not available in the first place.

Personally, I think that technology is one of the defining part of humanity - our advanced tool-making skills, are certainly unique to us.

So I think that asking humans to give up technology is like asking a giraffe to give up its long neck.

Answer 5

Oh my favorite question! I don't think it's a question of whether or not humans rely too much on technology. When you think about it, humans have been relying on technology since the first person picked up the first stone and made a flint for cutting meat. Technology is anything that extends the limits of human ability, really, so relying on technology is in our blood- it's part of what makes us human. Relying too much? Well, I don't really believe in that either. I think that it's the way we are destined to go- not like the Matrix or some silly stuff like that in which we lose all agency and all understanding of our subjective selves- we are too much of individuals to do that (see my answer to "why are humans set on destroying our planet?). Instead, the future as I see it (and many others, such as Hans Morovec and Kevin Warwick see it as well) is one in which technology simply becomes seamlessly integrated with who and what we are, that we become, in a sense as more than human- as "posthuman" if you like (as defined by N. Katherine Hayles). What does it mean then to rely too much on technology? What does this question mean to the person who has a machine implanted in them to control violent and debilitating seizures? Is that relying too much on technology or is that simply a way to live a life that doesn't involve massive amounts of pain and suffering? Is using the internet every day relying too much on technology? The way of the world, ever since the invention of the printing press has been one of "information hoarding"- no longer are we bound to information that we can keep in our brains, we have books and databases and all sorts of other memory devices to help us out. I guess all I can do then is to answer your question with another question- what is "too much"?
Technology is go!

Answer 6

technology is just another word for a tool. that means that spoons, hammers, pencils, etc. are all different types of technology.

we cannot go back to a time before tools but you can learn to focus on what is important and not let the focus on the cool tools distract you.

Answer 7

I know there wouldnt be any missiles flying over peoples heads. And folks would learn how to value things around them. Nice concept to think about.

Answer 8

Definately! I don't think humans can survive without it today.

Answer 9

yes, don't worry, once technology is advanced enough, it'll stop us. Seen terminator?

Answer 10

yeah ... but life expectancy was like 40 years.