Technoloy Growth

[Caroline]

The idea of machines becoming completely automated seems to have been an idea for many years. It strikes me as funny though picturing the tapes he describes being used, because in this day and age we no longer use casket taps and most of our stuff has turned to digital. What do you think will be the next big evolution in technology? (everything might sound crazy, but who could have ever imagined TV or an Xbox when there was only pac-man.)

[Zach]

I'm not sure what the next big thing in technology will be, although I will say that we live in a really exciting time with all the advances and discoveries being made in quantum mechanics and computer hardware and such. However, one thing I thought was really interesting about this book was the fact that Vonnegut seems to have predicted the fact that we would eventually use machines to recommend things to us. This website is a perfect example. We now have logarithms that can somewhat predict the books or movies a person may like simply based on what they have liked in the past. It amazed me that Vonnegut had this idea in the 50s when this book came out. But then again, he was a brilliant person.

[Feliks]

Quantum mechanics? H'mm. I'm not excited by it. I mean, what's it done for you lately? We live in a Newtonian world, not anywhere near a black hole. In pragmatic, everyday terms its mostly useless, seems to me. I guess it generates more ad-clicks for Yahoo (science feature articles webpages); and ooohs-and-aaaahs for fans of Star Trek. Pop-science. Or, if you happen to be working in physics and need papers to publish, or need grant money for your projects--sure--then yeah, its useful.

'Advances in computer hardware' ..also, less than enthralling. It translates into more sophisticated gaming choices for couch potatoes or else, ominous ways for consumer and citizen data to be tracked. Its a dead-end as far as making our lives inherently better. People playing with bells-and-whistles baby toys, meanwhile the world's real problems remain largely un-worked on. The planet is covered in slums and bio-diversity dying; but yeah its really great that we have all this leisure technology to amuse us and help us pass the time.

'The next big advance in technology'--better ask yourselves, can we really stand it?

[Zach]

Ah, well, if you aren't excited about it then obviously it has no value. I bow to your almighty opinion.