I love technology. I love the freedom it gives and the opportunities it opens up. Nevertheless, I find myself agreeing with Joy, rather then Kurzweil. I can see so many things going wrong with the rapid growth of technology. However, I am generally optimistic about our world for the next 30 years. I am generally optimistic about our world for the next 80 years. I truly believe that most of humanity is good, but all it takes is one person who does not care or is out for their own agenda to ruin everything. If such a person got a hold of destructive technology today (nuclear weapons), much less technology 30 years from now, it would not take much to destroy life on this planet.
I also think that the phrase said in class "our reach may exceed our grasp" is very accurate. Even if nobody who wished ill got a hold of dangerous technology, all it takes is one invention to surpass our ability to control it and the world will face a situation similar to the movie I-Robot.
Another major problem that I can see is the digital divide getting larger in relation to how fast technology is growing.
This is a similar situation to the automobile, more than the steam engine or television. People who do not have a television are viewed as slightly strange, but they are not looked down upon. Whereas, the automobile is a status symbol. People who do not have a car are looked down upon and those who do not have a nice car are viewed as being too poor to afford anything else, regardless of whether that is true or not. Compare a Porshe to a Jeep: both are functional vehicles but one carries a much higher status. This will be a similar situation with "smart" clothes and regular clothes.
Although I look forward to how technology will progress, I also have a fear that its progression will exceed ours.
Signing off,
Alyssa Potok
