What is Technology?

In its essence, technology is incomplete. Like a battery, it is always waiting as standing-reserve to be realized. By itself a battery merely holds charge. It is useful for virtually any imaginable thing, but is neutral in itself. So what is the point of technology? Certainly the point of something is not itself. The purpose of technology, perhaps, is to make the art of living a bit more graceful. Many times people think technologys purpose is to make things easier or more comfortable or entertaining. What if the purpose of technology wasnt amoral or neutral? What if technology requires humanity to make it good, for us to use it responsibly. It isnt just that we need to buy the right technology, its that we need to use it properly. There is nothing essentially wrong in any given technology, but there are right and wrong uses of every imaginable technology.

 As soon as a gun is made, it can be used to kill for food or for feuds; hopefully the two are unrelated. But the point is this: there is a humane way of using technology, which helps us better live the art of being human. It isnt any accident that the root word of technology is techne which means art. Technology is like paint. It can be used in any imaginable way, but the best ways are those which bring into question the ontological bearing of human beings in the world with other beings. Mutual living, coexisting, and artistic harmony has its place as much (perhaps more!) in the world of technology as in the world of music or art. Colors harmonize obviously. Technologies require a less tangible art of synthesizing raw power with balanced living which harms neither other beings in the world nor the environment.  Luddites miss the point in thinking that all technology (or most) is somehow wrong. No thing is ever right or wrong. Only action can be right or wrong. Technology should rightly be feared, since its neutral power can be used for philanthropy and for tyranny. The power to tap phones is not in itself right or wrong, but its use determines its morality. Nothing is right or wrong in itself. In fact, nothing even is in itself regardless of adjectival attribution.

We should find a way to use technology in the most artistic way possible. This means green tech, environmentally-friendly machines, recycling old computers, and living in harmony not only with man but with earth. Is your business optimized to use as little energy as possible? How much waste do you create? Technology in personal life and in business should work not only for ones survival but the effective use of resources, making the best possible result, not just the earliest (efficient) result.

The solution? For free, practice eco-friendly computer habits. If you want your computer optimized for maximum ecological performance, contact us. Technology is something to be used and used well. Even with its dangers, there is always hope.