Of course, technologies can enrich lives; voting can empower citizens; and microcredit can lead to better livelihoods. But “can” is not always “will.” Modern society fetishizes technocratic devices, but it’s a human finger on the on-switch and a human hand at the controls. Why are we so enamored of shrink-wrapped quick fixes? Why do even those of us who know better tout them as real solutions? The reasons run deep and have been centuries in the making.
