The Need to Escape from Technology
The other day my mom and I were having a conversation, and we started talking about the future of technology. She was convinced that soon everyone will have a cell phone built into their thumb, and that the future of technology is in its integration with biology. Everyone will become more and more wired and interconnected.
I couldn’t disagree more.
One of the most basic human needs is the ability to escape. Escape from responsibilities, escape from reality, escape from bills, etc. That includes technology. There will always be a human need to escape from technology. As we become more wired and interconnected, we also increase the need to do the inverse, disconnect and reflect at a slower pace. Without the balance between wired and unwired, humans will go nuts. There will always be a need for balance.
So the future won’t be full of people with cell phones in their thumbs. My own mother can’t stand to answer the phone when she’s home, how could she stand to answer the phone when it’s built into her thumb? What about telemarketers? How would you feel if every telemarketer who called your thumb phone rang in your head? Or worse, what if someone managed to hack the thumb phone, and make every one’s thumb phone ring nonstop in their head? The connection between humans and technology must be seperable.
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June 7th, 2006 04:24
I’m not sure I agree with you. Look at all the people who stick those crazy bluetooth earpieces into their ears and then walk around talking to themselves. An ear, a thumb? What’s the difference? Well, about 5-15 years.
As I see it, technology will become ever increasingly integrated with our lives. You can already see it taking shape. Years ago, who would have thought to put a tv in their car? Who would have thought that we would have Ipod’s so small and so compact that we can store our entire music collection on them and take it wherever we are going?
As technology becomes more sophisticated and integrated into our lives, we will think less of that boundry of seperation because by the very definition, integration will become a part of our lives.
Sure, all of us want to get away from technology at some point during the day. But how about if it’s technology we love? Gamers are already spending nearly all day in front of the xbox. And many of us spend all day in front of our computers. The point is that there is no limit to integration except the technical limitations. And this future isn’t as far off as we think.
June 7th, 2006 16:59
I suppose you’re partially right, Josh. Just check out the latest Wired Article here. People are getting magnets implanted into their fingers so they can “sense” electromagnetic fields. Scary stuff.