Technological progress, while we are at an all-time high in terms of discoveries and breakthroughs, raises many concerns in terms of morals and ethics. Today we have unmanned air crafts that have the capability of striking down entire cities at the click of a few buttons. With no hesitation, many lives can be ended, in the name of what?
We have biological breakthroughs, such as sequencing entire genomes for species and even viruses, and we are figuring out what our genetic code can do and how we can manipulate it to create something else. But should we? What if we unleash something too great for us to control?
Through history, the same theme has repeated itself. During World War 2, we created the atomic bomb and atomic energy, which sparked the age of the atom. But, we did not know it’s true potential. We didn’t take into the account the consequences we would endure because of these creations. Today, in Japan, where the bombs were dropped, and around that area, there are numerous accounts of illness, mutation, and a degrading quality of life.
We unleashed something massive with little regards for other lives. And as a result, many are paying the price today. There is a clear line between research with good intent, and research with questionable results. While there are many wonderful benefits to our rising world of technology, such as easily accessible information and greater means of healthcare, there are many dark sides to all of it.
We are becoming too reliant on technology, without paying attention to how it affects our environment and our society. It has become an industry, instead of a carefully monitored aspect of our lives. We are moving too fast without letting everyone else catch up.
These are just some of the many reasons technology should slow down.