Super-phones are great tools/toys for ourselves, but let's get
tech-creators to work on helping the
This article has an accompanying comic strip that can be viewed
at: http://m6.net/articles/images/supermobile.gif
The world of technology is racing ahead at such an unprecedented
pace that it really is starting to become hard to believe what
we human beings are creating with our minds and hands. A long
time ago we were ecstatic about inventions like the telephone,
stereo, and computer. These devices have added dimensions to our
reality that once was only dreamed of in science-fiction
films-film, another great invention unto itself. Communication,
the sharing of information, and the pleasures of sonic enjoyment
(We sure do love music!) have increased the quality of life for
those who have been privileged to access it, and these days it's
spreading to countries that once were locked into primitive ways
of existence. Is this story 100% true? Not many stories are, and
I would like to try and see some of the pros and cons of both a
life of pure technology, as well as of a life that is attuned
perfectly with the natural world around us. Everything is not
black and white, and I am hoping that there could be a focus
that integrates both 'realities' into one healthy future for our
species.
I was just reading an article in an Information Technology
magazine about the new demand for mobile/cellular phones that
also act as MP3 music players. Hey, I'm still blown away by
phones that act as palm computers which access the Internet
wirelessly! People now want a phone that can switch easily from
communication device to music player. An unbelievable gadget if
you really think about it. They want it to be able to store up
to 1,000 songs, be able to sync up with a computer, and be able
to download music wirelessly from the Internet straight into the
phone. However, at the time being-and I know it won't
last-there's been some trouble making this 'perfect' phone
become a reality because everyone wants a piece of the monetary
pie that comes with any incredible new invention. Music labels,
wireless carriers, handset makers, and companies like Apple
(iTunes) want control over various aspects of this new venture.
In the end I'm sure everyone in the developed, and many in the
undeveloped world will have these devices. The question that
always seems to remain for me is: Are we focusing our great
collective consciousness on the right things?
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll have to say it again, 'We
need to put our energies into an outlook that encompasses both
technology and nature, not to mention spirituality'. If you
watch or read the News (I try not to do it too much) you will
know that a huge number of stories are about problems with the
world. Degradation of the environment, conflict between nations
and cultures...we are not unaware of what's happening around us.
With the advent of the Internet we now share knowledge like
never before. Fear and suspicion due to ignorance of other
nations and cultures is decreasing rapidly as boundaries are now
crossed freely and easily. I'm just wondering if we might need
to put a little bit more of our technical focus and genius (a
general focus that currently is a tunnel-vision based around
personal gadgetry) into these bigger issues that seem so much
more relevant and important when it comes to reaching a level of
planetary sustainability and happiness that we can feel secure
with. It's no fun listening to cool songs on your 'super-phone'
if the bus you are riding on is attacked by frustrated people,
is it? How about those awesome UV light rays that burnt your
skin through the window on your way to the beach in your car
that helped deplete the Ozone, as well as your wallet, because
of the effects and costs of oil and other
It's easy for me to say that we could change our focus, but the
next question that arises is, 'What do we get the techno-people
to focus on to achieve this more sustainable, happy future? I
think the key is probably taking a more spiritual, altruistic,
community approach to things. Someone I just spoke to on my
lunch break mentioned that if we took all the money that we
spend on guns and bombs and put it into the 'world society',
there wouldn't be many homeless, hungry people in the world. Why
have we become such an aggressive, angry species anyway?
Many of us believe that money is the key to happiness in life.
We build things that we think will make us happy (super-phones),
and we buy those things for the same reason. Society and
marketing tells us that if we own them we will become happy. We
are dedicating our huge brains to this pursuit of
self-gratification, to the detriment of the world and people
around us. By no means am I saying that it's all bad. The power
of information and communication shared in this new age has
brought about massive changes for the good of the world. But,
how do we take the next necessary step?
It seems like we will have to make it monetarily worthwhile for
the geniuses to take the spiritual path of creating technologies
for the collective as well as for our future generations. How do
we do it? What are some of the paths that we could get them to
put their masterful tunnel-vision focus on when in search of
answers? How do we make it viable and worth their efforts in the
immediate 'pay-off' sense? Please send me your ideas in a
comment box at blog.m6.net. I want to tap into your individual
skills and gifts. You've already helped make such progress in
the world. I'm interested in what you think about how we can
make our future a better one for everyone in our 'neighborhood'.