Power of Technology

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

 Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. - Immanuel Kant

I was once talking with a Software Engineer friend of mine about the importance of work done by a typical city dweller in the Information Age. I said that Primary occupation such as Farming, and then Secondary occupation dealing with processing of the products of the Primary occupation, seemed so real and vital for human existence. A Tertiary occupation like writing Software, in contrast, only created a virtual world far removed from the real needs of humanity. Her arguments in favor of the virtual world created by juggling ‘0’s and ‘1’s didn’t impress me much.

I took up the discussion with my Software Consultant husband, and again found my primitive instincts favoring work done with our physical selves against the one done by pressing of buttons of electronic gadgets.

The other day, I went to my Bank pedaling hard at my bicycle only to find that it was closed for a holiday. The next day, I pulled myself before the computer at home, and started studying the instructions for using the online services provided by the Bank. Slowly and gradually, I went through the entire process on my computer and found that I had activated my online banking system as well as the telephone banking system while sitting in the comfort of my cushioned chair. The time and energy that I saved in the process got invested in my writing work that day.

I had finally hit upon the answer to my question about the relevance of technology in our life.

Any convenience, whether of Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary nature, that helped me in making my life simpler and more productive in my particular field of work, was valuable.