Kathleen, I wasn't at the panel, and I do very much understand your
point about the role of technology in globalization and economic inequality.
However, keep in mind that (to use a little Marxist terminology), the
productive forces, technology as such, are entirely bound by and exist only
for the sake of the relations of production (capitalism and the need for
companies to make a profit.) It is impossible to say what technology is "in
itself"; any technological product is made with the intent to make a profit,
not to explore what might be done with technology taken to its utopian
extremes. Technology has the potential to feed everyone, to clothe and
shelter every one, but that just isn't a "sound business investment." For
technology to meet its potential, we need technologically savvy people who
are willing to develop technology for humane and utopian purposes that will
benefit all humanity (not to mention the other living beings that we share
planet earth with.) I take the view that technology could be a very great
thing, but we as human beings have so far been more interested in using
technology to blow people up or rehash obsolete products in order to make a
profit.
/dave
----Original Message Follows----
From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: "313@hyperreal.org" <313@hyperreal.org>
Subject: [313] submerge.panel
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 10:15:20 -0400
yeah this is a little late but.....
i was at the submerge panel saturday morning of demf....it had a very "pro
technology" flavor to it...imo that is rather problematic since technology
has played a _large_ part in the rising levels of inequality both in the
united states (the income of the poorest 20 percent of households has fallen
in real terms by about 15 percent in the last 25 years) as well as in
developing countries (increases in technology have led to globalization
which has led to dramatic increases in inequity in these countries)..i
understand that the panelists were not there to speak on such things but all
of us have a responsiblity to understand our place in the world
back to the music
kathleen
______________________________________________________________________
Paul Virilio:
"Resistance is always possible! But we must engage in resistance first of
all by developing the idea of a technological culture. However, at the
present time, this idea is grossly underdeveloped. For example, we have
developed an artistic and a literary culture. Nevertheless, the ideals of
technological culture remain underdeveloped and therefore outside of popular
culture and the practical ideals of democracy. This is also why society as a
whole has no control over technological developments. And this is one of the
gravest threats to democracy in the near future. "
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