Paradox of Technology the 21st

¶ … Paradox of Technology

The 21st century has emerged as the century of technology that has dramatically and irreversibly changed both society and civilization; globalization has sparked a revolution in information and communication technology, resulting in the emergence of an information age that boasts the arrival of new levels of global interconnectedness. Many critics of technology believe that the rapid advancement of technological development, despite the benefits, has become in many ways detrimental to both society and life. The paradox of society is that this tool that has so much promise to benefit society also has the potential to destroy society. For example, technology has connected the world together through the use of the Internet and travel opportunities before thought unimaginable, but has also brought about growing disparities in income, health care facilities, and other measures of well being. Globalization has come to symbolize a threat for underdeveloped nations, while economically advantaged nations have already benefited from it in numerous ways. This paper will discuss three ways in which technology could be beneficial, but also could be detrimental in its everyday uses. It will conclude with my own personal thoughts regarding ethics and technology.

One area in which technology has advanced rapidly is in the area of science and genetically modified foods. Genetically modified foods, or foods that have been "artificially" grown, have the potential to save millions of starving people in third world countries. However, this is technological advancement could be a possible detriment because larger countries such as the United States are the owners and manufacturers of such seeds. These seeds are sold to third world countries, who oftentimes cannot afford the seeds. This is because exclusive rights to a plant variety confer the right of the seed "owner" to charge royalties upon seeds that are saved at harvest for replanting. Since it obliges the third-world farmer to pay an extra cost that did not previously exist for his or her seed, his food-security is threatened. As a result, the farmer is harmed instead of hurt by the technology because now he cannot afford to harvest his crop.

Another way in which technology could be potentially harmful to people is through internet commerce, or business conducted online. Securing Internet commerce is most likely the biggest challenge that software development companies have yet faced. The security problems affecting Internet commerce involve credit card transactions, which raise concerns involving privacy issues, integrity, and authenticity. For example, there is a considerable, and justifiable, fear that confidential information, such as credit cards and personal details, could be intercepted during transmission over the Internet when submitting an order form on the Web. Through this advance in technology, people stand the risk of becoming victim to internet fraud of their personal information.

A third manner in which technology has the potential to be both beneficial to society and detrimental at the same time is through plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is generally separated between two genres; reconstructive surgery corrects or masks birth defects and the destructive effects of trauma, surgery or disease, and cosmetic or aesthetic surgery changes features that the patient finds unflattering. Sufficient amounts of plastic surgery can result in irreversible damage to the normal body structure, which has occurred in those addicted to surgery for cosmetic purposes. Thus, although plastic surgery is beneficial to those such as burn or accident victims, it can be potentially devastating to those that later become addicted to the price of "beauty."