Technophiles and Technophobes

Introduction

What is technology? Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary). Technology is the application of all the theories of science into real manifestation by production of helpful devices or Machinery (Peter Mike: 2008). Technological development has contributes toward many good that are seen in many parts of the world. The easy life brought about by technology cannot be overemphasized; though some group of persons said that the adverse effect brought about by technology are numerous, and that technology is to be reduced or eliminated if possible in any way.

Who are the technophiles and what do they agree with? The technophiles are the group of persons that see the merits of technological advancement as all pervading (Engineer Onuorah: 2013). They are the group of persons that see all-round good in technology. They believe that technological advancement has contributed a lot in our today’s life and that there is no opposing argument against that. The technophiles in their totality do not take any opposition against the advantages offered by technology any likely. They can enter into argument with people at opposition with them do not stop that till night.

Who are the technophobes? The technophobes are the group that see technological innovations as the cause of all human problems and the causative factor that introduced changes in the quality of life of the good old days (Engineer Onuorah: 2013). This group are the people that oppose the technophiles. The group strongly believe the technological advancement has done more harm than good to our present society.

This group are overtly in support of technological advancement and point to the numerous benefits that human race enjoyed from innovative technology. They usually hinge their argument on one or more advantages offered by technological advancement. The group points the merits of technological advancement in Health, Education, Banking, Agricultural, transportation, information, power, better knowledge of the universe; just to mention but a few.

Advantages of Technological Advancement

The above heading can also be titled the “advantages of technological advancement as in agreement with the technophiles”. The advantages offered are discussed under this title.

Technological development brought about improvement in agriculture and food supply. The improvement it brought into this sector includes mechanized agriculture, intensive agriculture, seed varieties and breeding techniques, which has resulted in more food at affordable price and reduced hunger. The benefits offered by mechanized agriculture cannot be overemphasized at all.

Time has gone when there is lack of agricultural products in the world. This has become a history today because of the advantages offered by technological development. Recent farmers feel like a million dollar (feel comfortable) because they can produce large agricultural product without stress because of agricultural machines made possible by advancement in technology. There is agricultural youth empowerment, which is a type of youth empowerment, going on in many countries of the world because of agricultural mechanization. Lack of mechanization of agriculture which is one of the challenges in Nigeria as well as some of the challenges facing many African countries is beginning to be conquered because of the use of machines for agricultural practice.

Because of technological development, there is more easy transportation means. There are improvements in road networks because of advancement in technology. The technophiles argued that because of improvement in technology, people now find it interesting to transport anything they feel like with any means. The roles of entrepreneurs have been improved since they can transport there goods from place to place at ease.

Another point that the technophiles holds firm is that technological advancement has improved the health of human beings. They say that time has gone when certain diseases like malaria, leprosy and other diseases challenge human race without cure. The technophiles, who see everything with technology as interesting and helpful, believed that since there was improvement in technology that it affected health department positively. Some of the harmful diseases that had no cure in the pass have been made possible because of the advancement in technology. Take for instance when certain diseases came newly in U.S.A, it was one of the challenges in United States of America as of that time because technology had not advanced then.

The other arguments raised by the technophiles is that technological improvement has lead to improvement in information technology and globalization, good power and water supply, and had made people to have good knowledge of the universe. Before, people wait for months before information on what happened in far countries reach them. But with the help of internet and advancement in technology, what happened a minute ago is being heard by the whole within few minutes.

As said before, the technophobes are the group that believed that advancement in technology has caused more harm than good to the large population in the world. The technophobes stand and say that improvement in technology has destroyed the world. In a nutshell, the technophobes believe that improvement in technology is a big disadvantage.

Disadvantages of Technological Advancement as Argued by the Technophobes

The technophobes argued that one of the major causes of unemployment in the world is technological advancement. United States of America is one of the countries of the world that have seriously advanced in technology. In line with the technophobes, they say that one of the causes of unemployment in the United States of America is because the country has seriously advance in technology. Because most of the works that are supposed to be done by men is being done by machines, men are left with little or no jobs.

The technophobes argued that the advancement in technology is the principal cause of moral decadence in the world of today. This is rampant among the youths in many parts of the world. In Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America, this has been a big problem. They argued that technological advancement like the use of internet has done more harm than good to the children, youths, and the adults in totality.

Another argument raised by the technophobes which is in line with the disadvantages of technological advancement is that it has lead to pollution. The pollution caused by technological advancement includes both water and air pollution. The harmful gases released by the industries during production have lead to ozone depletion and affect the ozone layer negatively. There is inflow of hazardous solvents into some rivers used by man and this tends to affect human health. When the chemicals that flow into the rivers are being utilized by the aquatic animals, the aquatic animals in one way or the other get into the human systems when men consume them.

Conclusion

Who is to be blamed for the damage which technology has caused to man; the inventors or the users? This topic is solely on the technophiles and the technophobes. The technophiles are in support of technological advancement while the technophobes speak against that. Some of the things that the technophiles believe in are advantages of technological advancement which include improvement in agriculture and food supply, agricultural mechanization, easy transportation, improvement in health, improvement in information technology and globalization, good power and water supply, and had made people to have good knowledge of the universe.

On the contrast, the technophobes argued that technological development has spoilt the world. They base their argument on the negative impact of technological advancement which includes unemployment, pollution, and moral decay.

References

• The Technophiles and Technophobes by Engr. Onuorah
• The Advantages of Technological Development by Peter Mike
• Technophobes against Technological Development by Peter Mike
• Definition of Technology by Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary