Technology begins with the human mind

Hi Prof, TA and g22 classmates!

As I’m completely new to the class considering I only joined after week 2’s lesson, I’ll just like to briefly introduce myself. I’m Desiree but everyone calls me Des for short. Currently doing an internship at School of Thought (a tuition centre, magazine publications, F&B, social enterprise and heritage tours all rolled into one). I love my job such that I have no urge to quit despite the heavy school and workload.

From the first TWC lesson I attended in another group, and all the readings I’ve covered so far (hastily trying to catch up! Need…coffee!!!), the first major thing that I’ve learnt is that technology has literally transformed every aspect of human life (especially from 50,000 years ago onwards). I know this is a very obvious statement to make but I cannot emphasize how truly amazed I was! Before, whenever the term “technology” was mentioned I automatically imagined very high-tech ideas like Apple IT products, LED television, etcetera. I also imagined how a 21^st century person like myself would feel being suddenly transported to the days of the caveman, and concluded that I would be utterly miserable, lost, and probably starving to death. Now, I can more fully appreciate how even the simplest things I take for granted-like fire, clean water, a pen- are all products of technology.

(This would not be pretty if it was all I had.)

Technology therefore, can be defined as the successful materialization of an idea that improves human life.

These led to me appreciate a second point on a far deeper level: anyone can be a technologist. Since technology is not solely restricted to high-tech and IT fields, it follows that the layman, though not necessarily specialized in any field, can be an impactful technologist. To do this, we must try our best not to accept circumstances as they are (though this is not easy), and find ways in which we can continuously improve the human psyche.

In Guns, Germs and Steel, one of Jared Diamond’s main arguments is that with certain types of plants and farm animals, production of food could increase dramatically, subsequently freeing up people to come up with new practises for the betterment of community life. As I pictured this in my head, I wondered what it would be like to be an individual 9,000 years ago whom, all of a sudden, no longer had to farm and instead had to find something else to do with my life. Without education and a collective body of knowledge at their disposal, I always assumed people in ancient times would have been too backward and simple-minded. It has come to my greater attention that they were amazingly experimental, innovative and productive.

(The ruins of an ancient home.)

All in all, technology is never left solely for the world’s geniuses or IT experts to play around with. A “technological” idea can start to take shape in any human mind.

note: all images taken from Flikr Creative Commons