Technology

When discussing technology, a very distressing thing occurs to a large

number of people--common sense gets thrown out the window. Americans,

while not unique in this respect, have more difficulties with the concept that

technology is only a tool than some other peoples. There is the feeling that,

somehow, if ÒweÓ can merely invent machines bright enough, efficient enough,

or pretty enough that we will be able to solve all of our problems, from the

common cold up to the federal deficit, a new variation on death and taxes.

Perhaps it is left over Puritan idealism which allows U.S. Americans to think that

we can create using technology a Òcity on a hillÓ, a more perfect society than the

one we have. Yet viewing technology as a god is just as fallacious as viewing it

as a tool of the gods. Technology is a tool of human beings and is useful only as

human beings have created it.