Technological Evolution

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.”

Bill Hicks

I write this page, as I do most, on an Apple computer, an inch-thick laptop whose inner-workings greatly exceed my own technological understanding. I use this machine to write because it is efficient, accurate, and quite frankly, my handwriting is less than exceptional. In addition to state of the art word processing, this same machine offers the most advanced video and music reproduction programs, a truly remarkable volume of data storage space, and, with increasingly-ubiquitous Wi-Fi availability, access to an expanse of information so vast that any number of descriptive examples could not do it justice. Phenomena of technology such as this have become the tools of daily human life the way sticks and stones once were. New advancements perpetually expand our capabilities and further our social connectedness as the telegram and telephone each once did. Yet, despite having been consistently quieted by progress in all senses throughout history, there remain those who resist and warn their audiences and readerships of the mal-effects and societal tolls of the evolution taking place. In this instance, the loss of social skills, the risk of cyber-bullying and sexism, and the lack of accountability associated with anonymity supposedly brought upon by technology have each been widely referenced in disparaging arguments. But evolution, as it has, continues to shape the human condition in ways that advance the species and improve our quality of life.

In so much as the technology we create is an extension of the collective intellect and creativity humanity, technology itself is an extension of the natural evolution of our species. As a result of our tremendous mental capacity, physical adaptations, and social nature, we as a species have managed to refine the resources of the Earth into tools for survival, then basic and more advanced amenities for comfort, then goods for our enjoyment, and finally in more recent years into technologies which provide all of the above. We have and continue to evolve, as all species do, to live in a manner that yields the highest chance of survival and proliferation of the species. But we’ve evolved so far that for a large portion of our population, survival is no longer an all-encompassing concern. We as a species have the ability to improve the quality and fulfillment of our lives at an extent to which no other species can. That in and of itself should be enough of testimony to the wonder that is modern technology, yet every day cynics find compelling examples of the way this progress is destroying our society.

It would not be an earnest exposition without acknowledging the fact that there are consequences, as there always are, of this type of evolution. Technological institutions have become deeply ingrained in the way people live every day, particularly among younger demographics. Recently, social media has been deemed public enemy number one by commenters like Sandy Hingston of Philadelphia Magazine who argues that institutions like Facebook and Twitter are making young people dumber and less sociable. These claims do hold weight, as texting, tweeting, poking, and snapchatting have taken the place of old-fashioned face time for many kids. There is something to be said for those who are wary of Generation Y forgetting how to hold a conversation a few years down the line. It is clear that the use of social media and other forms of electronic communication have changed the way we interact. Friendly small-talk in an elevator has been replaced by reading emails or perusing the latest posts from your friends on Instagram. It can be difficult to see the legitimacy of these new forms of communication when friends are texting each other from across the room.

Do these new popular idiosyncrasies, admittedly somewhat ridiculous, really warrant the damnation of the progress and opportunity brought about by technology? From a personal standpoint, I see communication via text message, email, or any number of social media outlets not as a detriment to social interaction but as an incredible breakthrough which allows me to keep in touch even more closely with the people I care about. From an evolutionary standpoint, we are perpetuating the advancement of our species at an exponential rate with every new technology we create and as a result, we are ever in greater control over the way in which we live. As there always have been, there will be those who seek fault in new ideas and in progress, but it is those who understand and embrace the natural order of evolution who are in position to decide where it goes next.