Ethics and Technology

TECHNOLOGY IS KILLING OUR WORK ETHICS The biggest limitation of our existing system is its inherent inability to achieve its fundamental goal. Whatever happened to the dream of progress -- that modern technology would free people from drudgery, and everyone would be able to live in comfort, spending their time enriching the world and thinking great thoughts? Wasn't that what we really set out to achieve? Toward that goal, we can now make virtually any region of the earth comfortably habitable. We can produce food and clothing in staggering quantities, at unbelievable rates of production, using very little labor in proportion to the output. We have greatly extended the life span of our species, and we know how to cure or eliminate the suffering of a great range of diseases. We can communicate around the globe in less time than it takes to hear the voice of someone across a room. An interesting question to consider is this: if the technology necessary to live this way really could be developed, would it result in such a society? Starting from our present society, I would say "absolutely not." The technology that could easily feed the world would probably result in mass starvation. The competitive system can produce the tools we need to create a future of freedom and enlightenment, but unless the system evolves, it will work against our using those tools to the benefit of humanity. The system must evolve. We're not spreading the benefits of advancing technology, we're using it to exclude more and more people from the fruits of progress. Instead of laying off the