Technology...for good or evil?
Okay, so that was quite a discussion in class tody about technology and how we use it. I think I have rather strong stances on everything...and I'm not saying I'm right, but this is how I feel. First, shutting the door to technology is never the solution, for the bad use of technology does fall on the user. Just because something can be used for bad things, doesn't mean you have to. That is freedom of choice. But what individuals have to understand is the consequences of those choices.
For example, given my extensive knowledge of computers, there is a lot of bad I know I could be doing- I could hack...hell I could go home and install spyware on my parents computer without them ever knowing and track them...but do I? No...because I do have a moral compass and that is wrong. And I know I would not want that to be done to me, so why would I inflict that onto another person. I understand the choice before me and the consequences of each.
I have to return to the subject of tracking offenders, more specifically sex offenders. I suppose my view will always be slanted because I am a victim of sexual abuse/assault. I feel safer in this world now that we can register sex offenders and I know where they live. I would be living in fear and probably go crazy if I didn't at least have some measure of safety like that. Can I be fully protected? No, and I know this because I wasn't protected earlier in my life. But at least it is better than before.
Do I wish we could track other such offenders? Yes...such as murderers- you bet. Drunk drivers? You know I probably would. For me- I have never even had a drop of alcohol and I am over 21. I don't like it when people get drunk- beacuse its like, what is the point? Why drink so much alcohol that you can't make sound decisions. Decisions are hard enough without being influnced by outside influces. I think too, I have Manic Depression...and thus without medication I would go a little nuts and have decisions made that are not so good, due to Mania...so why then, when I am healthy would I willingly choose to lose my power of control over my actions. It doesn't make sense to me and it never will.
But is registering sex offenders a violation of their privacy? Yes, but you know what...the day they touched a child, or assualted another human being sexually...they gave up their right to privacy...because they took the very soul of another human being. I became a different person because of my circumstances, because of what someone did. I even almost lost my life. And I lived my life in fear, I still do to some degree...but I feel a hell of a lot safer knowing that I at least know where convicted sex offenders are...that I have a cell phone with one touch dialing to 911 and a computer to look up where the offenders reside. They tooky my privacy, my soul...my innocense, my life. And I will do what it takes to make sure not only I am protected, but so are others.
Which brings me to "the system." It is corrupted and messed up, in my opinion. Now, I suppose my slant on all of this is heavily skewed...being a survivor of sexual abuse/assault but also of some terrible child abuse. Being such a survivor, I have seen the uglines of the world. I have seen what no parenting/bad parenting can do. And I think not enough emphasis is given to parenting and what should be expected of the parents. To instill in children not only freedom of choice...but the consequences of their choices. That while technology can be a great thing, you must also awknowledge the dangers and appreciate the destructive powers. And teach the children about the dangers and then instill in them a sense of moral duty and right and wrongness. And about trust. I think part of the reason we turn to technology for surveilence is trust...or lack thereof.
I know I have always lived my life in fear. We talk about how technology has made us fearful...but is that accurate? I feel safer in my life now than I did when I was younger- because I have technology at my finger tips. I guess perhaps I made myself into a computer whiz is so I could feel safe. Because without it, I felt vulnerable and alone. With it, I feel armed at least, with some measure of safety. Maybe ignorance and naivety is the biggest fear maker. That can be taken two ways- one, for people who think that nothing bad could happen to them and then those that believe technology is out to violate trust.
This is not a perfect world, and it never will be. But why do we insist on offering up patchwork for the human condition and instead begin at the root of much of this- from children on. But then again, my sense of right and wrong can be very different from anothers- so where is this sameness of right and wrong? Maybe that is the question we should be asking. And always...there will be people doing bad or evil things. Part of the imperfection of an imperfect world and imperfect human race. CanI accept that bad things will happen? Yes. But do I accept that I can't do anything about it? No. You would think that I would just see this world as one big fearful planet, that everyone is bad and I should trust no one. But surviving everything that I have...I learned to have trust and faith in people, in human kind. And to feel sorry for those that do so many horrendous things. And yes, I am hyper vigilant- I have to be, but at the same time, I know if I put a little trust into the ring, then others will too. A give and take. And without that, who will we trust?
Technology...for good or evil? I think it is for good, it has done so many wonderful things. But human kind being imperfect and filled with good and evil...it can inevitably be used for evil. But technology in itself is not evil, but rather the person choosing to wield its destructive power.
For me...it is good, and I choose to use it as such...and too feel safer, because at least now I have protective measures against all the evil in this world. I think of a favorite line of a song,
"It's not a release, not a reward, it's the blessings,
It's the gift of what you notice more."
Erin
Sometime in winter
Some things got broken
Some mighty branches under the weight
But I saw the truth coming
Up in the garden
After the snow melted away
Life goes on, life goes on
The sweetest flower waits all winter long
After all that has gone wrong
Life goes on
I've seen the angels crying rivers
Over what man will do to man
And I have seen vengeance celebrated
Like they just don't understand
Life goes on, life goes on
The angry-hearted only pass it on
After all that has gone wrong
Life goes on
And in all your time here
What will you put into the ground
Are you sowing seeds of love or hatred
Cause it's all gonna come around
The sweetest flower waits all winter long
Life goes on
And the sweetest justice, how will it be won
Not by killing
Killing even one
'Cause life goes on
Life goes on
Life goes on
For example, given my extensive knowledge of computers, there is a lot of bad I know I could be doing- I could hack...hell I could go home and install spyware on my parents computer without them ever knowing and track them...but do I? No...because I do have a moral compass and that is wrong. And I know I would not want that to be done to me, so why would I inflict that onto another person. I understand the choice before me and the consequences of each.
I have to return to the subject of tracking offenders, more specifically sex offenders. I suppose my view will always be slanted because I am a victim of sexual abuse/assault. I feel safer in this world now that we can register sex offenders and I know where they live. I would be living in fear and probably go crazy if I didn't at least have some measure of safety like that. Can I be fully protected? No, and I know this because I wasn't protected earlier in my life. But at least it is better than before.
Do I wish we could track other such offenders? Yes...such as murderers- you bet. Drunk drivers? You know I probably would. For me- I have never even had a drop of alcohol and I am over 21. I don't like it when people get drunk- beacuse its like, what is the point? Why drink so much alcohol that you can't make sound decisions. Decisions are hard enough without being influnced by outside influces. I think too, I have Manic Depression...and thus without medication I would go a little nuts and have decisions made that are not so good, due to Mania...so why then, when I am healthy would I willingly choose to lose my power of control over my actions. It doesn't make sense to me and it never will.
But is registering sex offenders a violation of their privacy? Yes, but you know what...the day they touched a child, or assualted another human being sexually...they gave up their right to privacy...because they took the very soul of another human being. I became a different person because of my circumstances, because of what someone did. I even almost lost my life. And I lived my life in fear, I still do to some degree...but I feel a hell of a lot safer knowing that I at least know where convicted sex offenders are...that I have a cell phone with one touch dialing to 911 and a computer to look up where the offenders reside. They tooky my privacy, my soul...my innocense, my life. And I will do what it takes to make sure not only I am protected, but so are others.
Which brings me to "the system." It is corrupted and messed up, in my opinion. Now, I suppose my slant on all of this is heavily skewed...being a survivor of sexual abuse/assault but also of some terrible child abuse. Being such a survivor, I have seen the uglines of the world. I have seen what no parenting/bad parenting can do. And I think not enough emphasis is given to parenting and what should be expected of the parents. To instill in children not only freedom of choice...but the consequences of their choices. That while technology can be a great thing, you must also awknowledge the dangers and appreciate the destructive powers. And teach the children about the dangers and then instill in them a sense of moral duty and right and wrongness. And about trust. I think part of the reason we turn to technology for surveilence is trust...or lack thereof.
I know I have always lived my life in fear. We talk about how technology has made us fearful...but is that accurate? I feel safer in my life now than I did when I was younger- because I have technology at my finger tips. I guess perhaps I made myself into a computer whiz is so I could feel safe. Because without it, I felt vulnerable and alone. With it, I feel armed at least, with some measure of safety. Maybe ignorance and naivety is the biggest fear maker. That can be taken two ways- one, for people who think that nothing bad could happen to them and then those that believe technology is out to violate trust.
This is not a perfect world, and it never will be. But why do we insist on offering up patchwork for the human condition and instead begin at the root of much of this- from children on. But then again, my sense of right and wrong can be very different from anothers- so where is this sameness of right and wrong? Maybe that is the question we should be asking. And always...there will be people doing bad or evil things. Part of the imperfection of an imperfect world and imperfect human race. CanI accept that bad things will happen? Yes. But do I accept that I can't do anything about it? No. You would think that I would just see this world as one big fearful planet, that everyone is bad and I should trust no one. But surviving everything that I have...I learned to have trust and faith in people, in human kind. And to feel sorry for those that do so many horrendous things. And yes, I am hyper vigilant- I have to be, but at the same time, I know if I put a little trust into the ring, then others will too. A give and take. And without that, who will we trust?
Technology...for good or evil? I think it is for good, it has done so many wonderful things. But human kind being imperfect and filled with good and evil...it can inevitably be used for evil. But technology in itself is not evil, but rather the person choosing to wield its destructive power.
For me...it is good, and I choose to use it as such...and too feel safer, because at least now I have protective measures against all the evil in this world. I think of a favorite line of a song,
"It's not a release, not a reward, it's the blessings,
It's the gift of what you notice more."
Erin
Sometime in winter
Some things got broken
Some mighty branches under the weight
But I saw the truth coming
Up in the garden
After the snow melted away
Life goes on, life goes on
The sweetest flower waits all winter long
After all that has gone wrong
Life goes on
I've seen the angels crying rivers
Over what man will do to man
And I have seen vengeance celebrated
Like they just don't understand
Life goes on, life goes on
The angry-hearted only pass it on
After all that has gone wrong
Life goes on
And in all your time here
What will you put into the ground
Are you sowing seeds of love or hatred
Cause it's all gonna come around
The sweetest flower waits all winter long
Life goes on
And the sweetest justice, how will it be won
Not by killing
Killing even one
'Cause life goes on
Life goes on
Life goes on
posted by Erin at
11:20 AM
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