Do you ever stop to think about
the true cost of modern conveniences?
We all get used to using the
latest gadgets and merchandise, man-made, or processed foods and items without
realizing the impact these could have on others.
Growing economically and
technologically has always been the central goal and measure of success in our
society. This means building up cities,
expanding urban life, creating new buildings with new jobs using the latest
technology, etc. Even though this is
thought of as “good”, there are many harmful environmental impacts known today
such as air and water pollution, acid rain, and deforestation. This leads to
the question: are there any more negative
influences of technological progress?
Cutting-edge technologies may
make our lives easier, but there are always consequences to these “goods”. One example is of farmers in India (as
discussed in Raj Patel’s Stuffed and
Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System 2008). Rural families cannot afford the education or
new technologies (such as improved irrigation and harvesting methods) to keep
up with the demands of expanding Indian cities.
As a result, many farmers are so economically devastated that they are
driven to suicide, forever scarring those they leave behind. In other words, cities expand, but rural areas
are left behind and become poorer (example: blue collar jobs disappear). The following video explains some of the
hardships faced when farmers can no longer support their families.
This example shows that even
though success is measured by “progress”, many do not have the means to be
flexible with the ever-changing society. This dependence on advancing
technologies is the “bad” within the supposed “good” of development. Many suffer from the inability to take part
in these advancements.
This is seen in many other
places, even in our hometowns!
Being a college student myself, I
felt like I needed a laptop to survive the upcoming years at school. I never thought about what happened to those
who could not purchase this necessary item.
Although many excel, others must invest extra time earning capitol to buy
these prerequisites, and thus face lower grades (not to mention the social
stigma of not having the latest or coolest new electronics). What about those young adults who do not have
the means to attend college? What about their chances of finding a successful
career when they were unable to gain the necessary education? In rural areas, many people are unable to
gain internet (or even cell phone) connections.
These technologies are seen as necessary to stay in touch with society,
but these people are left out. Farms
were popular near my hometown, but due to low incomes, many had to find jobs in
the larger cities. New technology is
typically seen as good, but many are left behind and face the bad within
good.
Not all is bad. Many people see the problems caused by
advancing development and are working towards mitigating them, or else
promoting the importance of lower technology in society. This includes valuing the underappreciated
jobs today such as the farmers discussed above.
Going “green” and going back to organic foods emphasizes the importance
of these “rural” ideals. This shifting
paradigm can be seen in new car technologies in which less harmful toxins are released
into the atmosphere as well as restaurant advertisements bragging about
products being made from farm-grown fresh produce.
With a better understanding of
the externalities (positive or negative) of technology, we can work for more
advancements, but also consider the impacts of our choices.
To learn more about the farmers in rural India click the link here:
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