The progression of technology. To be or Not to be?

[Halubaris Maphotika]

The rise of the internet has created a new wave of thought, speech, and customs within a new social construct. From Twitter, to Youtube, to Twitch, to 4chan, to the deep web; the internet has become an entire new form of existence, an intangible yet real existence. With the rise of technology, our way of existing is slowly changing. More and more the boundaries between the physical reality and the reality within the global web system begin to merge together. Some call this a reckoning, others a salvation. I pose the question to you.

 

Which direction do you think our society will eventually go into with the advents of new technology:

 

1. Machine to man - Characterized by machines elevating humans to new paradigms of existence. Examples can include cyborg technology. The fusion of modern machinery with the flesh of humans.

 

2. Man to machine - Characterized by man abandoning it's primordial existence on Earth, and creating a new metaphysical existence through the means of technology. Examples can include transhumanism through computers. Creating a new existence without physical barriers using modern technology as a home for the modern consciousness.

 

3. Fall of Man - Characterized by the extinction of the modern human, and the rise of the Machine population. Examples include, Robot dystopia theory, which envisions a future in which technology rebels against and destroys humanity, becoming the new harbingers of Earth.

 

4. Fall of Machine - Characterized by the extinction of modern technology and the return of humanity to pre-industrial revolution life. Examples include Y2K paranoia, involving the end of technology and the eventual regression into a new dark age.

 

If none of these, what do you believe will happen?

 

Also, do you feel our current reliance and bond with modern technology is a good thing, bad thing, or mixed bag?

[Dova]

Our reliance and bond on modern technology is a very mixed bag. At this moment, I don't believe a Fall of Machine would be that catastrophic to today's current state of progress, but as we take more for granted as it progresses, especially if we're on our way from Machine to Man, it could get so much worse. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the benefits that mechanical and electronic devices have done for us as a society.

 

Since I don't believe in true AI, right now I can find it hard to accept something akin to Man to Machine or even a proper Fall of Man. Perhaps something close to the I, Robot movie, but even then, I doubt it will ever get to the stage were we have so little control over our technology. There will always be control freaks. Outside of science fiction, Fall of Machine is something that is hard to comprehend, but there will always be some way for our machines to all suddenly commit sudoku, so I cannot rule it out.
 

That leaves us with Machine to Man. I don't think the change would be smooth, and as the rich/poor gap widens and new laws get put into place, we will end up with the standard utopian-future-except-not-really-because-there's-a-resistance scenario. The line between man and machine will be blurred to some, but not to others, and I can't imagine the chaos this would eventually create. Perhaps it will be placated; perhaps not. But that's beyond my level of imagination :P

 

Tbh I just think everything will just eventually stagnate

[Delibirb]

I'm partial to Machine to Man short term, with Man to Machine long term. Or just Man to Machine short and long term.

 

Sadly I think either is unlikely without a serious enlightenment of several groups of people as to what the greatest threats to the species are, and what it means to be human, or alive.