In “Sustainable
Abundance, or Ecological Crisis” (Technology
Matters, 2006) by Nye, he explains the positive and negative impacts
society had on society in terms of “technological optimism” and “technological
pessimism”.
“Technological
optimism” is described as technology’s positive impact on shaping society and
bringing higher levels of comfort to humans. Four main stages were described in
the article: “hunting and gathering, agriculture, industrial steam-power, and
the atomic age”. The invention of the steam engine caused mass
industrialization, leading to mechanisation of several jobs, namely farming.
This further catalyzed the development of new technologies as fewer people were
required to live farming lifestyles and more people were encouraged to work in
cities. People were encouraged with the promise of fewer work days and earlier
retirement. The current population is much greater than before and the living
standards have also greatly increased due to technology.
“Technological
pessimism” describes the negative side effects that technology has brought,
namely damage to the environment and a possession-based lifestyle. Due to the
development of technology, forests have been deforested, oceans have been
polluted, soil has been eroded, and air has been intoxicated through fossil
fuels. Climate change is upon us and the society’s mindset has become based on
acquiring new possessions. A study conducted
has shown that people in the 1990s were no more happy than they had been
in 1957 although they had more possessions and a more advanced lifestyle; work
hours were greater in 1990s and the hours with friends had decreased leading
largely due to a materialistic lifestyle.
I
myself am a “technological optimist”. New technology has shaped society into
what it is today and compared to previous generations, I believe the benefits on
society outweigh the losses. Technological fixes can be used to solve several
environment issues, but imminently cause other problems to arise. This is an
endless cycle that is inevitable. There is no way to take technology away from
society as it is already deeply ingrained in our lives; the only option is to
continue development of fixes and attempt to slow down destruction to the
environment around us through sustainable practices.