Wall E and something else


Recently I'm trying to read this book "Devices of The Soul" by Steve Talbott. The writer exams technology in a critical perspective, challenging that instead of assisting us, modern technology actually forcing us to adapt to it's current form. He argues that human spirit, from which technology stems, is lost, while a recent study shows over 65% of American consumers spend more time with their PCs than with their loved ones.

I've always have the same feelings about technology: Yes, it's great to have our lives a lot easier and more convenient, more efficient. But is technology "always" good?

Last night I went to see Wall E. The story is for kids, so at the end there is a wonderful happy ending. However, as an adult audience, it's clear that there are some warning messages behind the innocent little robot.
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Is convenient and efficiency really always good?
Are we deteriorating ourselves by conforming to the current technology?


Recently I'm doing internship in a production software company. There was one little discussion about the one-touch screen and multi-touch screen in a coffee break. One of my colleague claimed the multi-touch technology is "fancy but useless". He believes that for normal users, one-touch screen is enough. "Because it's just like using the mouse, it's convenient. Why would you want to use another hand at the same time?". I didn't say anything, since I'm just an intern. But at that moment, I thought about Steve Talbott's argument.

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