Technology is inherently neutral, or is it not? Is it the application that matters or the implications? What is the role of Impact Tech ventures for a better future for mankind?
Introduction
We can’t possibly imagine the modern world without technology. It was a long journey we covered from wheel to exploring the furthest depths of space. The world has never been more connected and perhaps humanity is at its epitome. All the aspects of our modern-day life are deeply intertwined with technology. From communications to transportation, manufacturing, time management, and even healthcare. Have we created so much feasibility for ourselves that it has, in turn, created a dependency?
Is Technology Leading Us in The Right Direction?
Technology has indeed propagated humans towards a better future but we cannot overlook the tradeoffs; the heavy cost that we have to pay from time to time. Sometimes, it may even feel like technology is overtaking our lives but truth be told, that’s what we intended from it in the first place. To make our lives easier and more comfortable.
If we simply misinterpret the utility technology has created for us, we can say it has disrupted the good old way we used to do things. How can we forget the good old days of horse carts, mail arriving over the span of months, and dying at the ripe age of 50; give or take a few more years. That’s how much the average life span was just half a century ago. The global life expectancy today (72.6 years) is higher than any other country in the past; you can thank advancements in medical technology for that.
How Technology Has Improved Our Lives
For the sake of argument, let’s have a look at some ways technology has improved and completely revolutionized our lives and the 21st century in general.
- The Internet – How can even imagine our lives today without the internet? The whole world is in the palm of our hands. We have access to unlimited amounts of data along with seamless communication that has the whole world connected as a global village. People today are more informed and connected, hence more aware.
- Better Than Ever Productivity – Automation has made our everyday tasks easier. And it’s not limited to increasing productivity on grand scales such as factories and manufacturing plants; automation is employed on micro-level alike and handles menial repetitive tasks like sorting mail, auto-responding to queries, customized online experience for customers, bookkeeping, and much more.
- Transporting and Traveling – Taken a flight lately? How about the subway? Surely you must have seen a Tesla drive by making no sound and cruising smoothly like butter? Technology! Before this, it was very difficult for people to travel long distances since it required a lot of effort, willpower, endurance, and all of this at the cost of long durations of time. Not anymore. Now not only you can travel anywhere you like more efficiently but have resources like Google Maps to take you to your destination quite easily.
- Businesses – Technology has also revolutionized businesses of all shapes and sizes. From selling products/services online to promoting to a wider than ever audience, businesses are making the best of what technology has to offer them. You will find a great many businesses are shifting their business model towards digital in more than a few ways. Businesses are now more profitable and seamless than ever before. This includes the banking industry which is completely different from what it used to be a mere 30-40 years ago.
- Our daily Lives – Smartphones, LED TVs, Washing Machines, computers; these are but a few examples of technology in our daily lives. Some of you might be wearing smart health monitoring devices that will alert your healthcare providers if you are in need of medical assistance.
In short, there is too much that technology has offered us that we cannot cover in a single sitting. However, technology is still not all as innocent as it seems.
The Dark Phases of Technology
The level of air, water, and environmental pollution now are higher than ever in human history. Carbon and greenhouse gas emission has resulted in global warming that is causing drastic changes in global climate. Of course, the majority of this can be attributed to the industrial revolution (1700-1800s, and early 1900s) that was powered by coal and natural gases/fuel that has badly affected all the life forms on earth, including our atmosphere.
Despite this, people are now more aware and movements for green and cleaner energy are on the rise. This presents us with two ethical and moral dilemmas that we must answer.
1. How Should We Address The Creation And Use Of Technology?
The creation, as well as the use of technology, should have one thing at its heart, the betterment of humanity with no harmful effect on the planet or other life forms. The more sustainable it is, the more we limit its effect on our environment.
2. Is Tech Good Or Bad By Design Or Is It How We Use It?
Technology is inherently neutral; it’s the application that defines the purpose. The same nuclear technology that is powering thousands of homes can be used to wipe them out in an instant. The same internet that is celebrated as the best human invention ever has a section called the dark web. The same medicines that save countless lives on a daily basis can take them if abused. It’s the application that justifies the means, not the invention itself.
Having said that, both the topics still remain open for debate among experts and novices alike with no conclusive outcome at sight.
How Can Impact Tech Make A Difference
Impact tech means the use of technology for social as well as environmental benefits by organizations of any shape, size, or industry. It is the intentional use of responsible (reducing harm to the environment) technology and science for the purpose of benefiting people (including stakeholders, direct and indirect) and the planet to solve problems whether environmental or social.
It is the bridge to converge the talents between the tech and impact worlds by creating a sense of urgency and responsibility in terms of global challenges. This in turn influences the upcoming generation for creating a better and more sustainable usage of benefits offered by emerging as well as current technologies.
Conclusion
Impact tech is offering us solutions that were previously not pondered upon or considered seriously enough. From AI for the accurate diagnosis of diseases along with green transportation technologies, zero-emission power generation, use of technology for the protection of human rights, and cruelty-free methods of creating lab-grown meat, Impact Tech is presenting technologies that are, in a broader sense, will lay the path for a better brighter future if mankind.
If you have set out on an Impact Tech venture to solve the challenges faced by humanity, you can apply with Hatch CoLab’s where you can find support and mentorship for your venture. Become a Hatcher and change the world!
