"Tech" in the Context of Even Bigger Issues
"Tech" (or technology) activism is important; but there's a bigger picture
THE global economy is not in a good state. Society has become more hostile (capacity for compassion reduced) and xenophobic. At the same time public health has greatly deteriorated (my writings on this topic are outside the scope of this site) and companies run bigger deficits. No wonder so many companies and people are deep in debt. It keeps them awake at night if not bankrupt. I worked for such a company until 18 months ago.
It's easy to just nonchalantly say, "why can't we all just get along?"
That's easier said than done when many suffer trauma and anxiety.
It seems plausible that we've already entered a transitionally-visible turnabout. We may stage or phase into a multi-polar world with two or three superpowers (and two of those converge, which means "east vs west"). Nuclear conflict is hopefully not imminent, but judging by the international news - not mindless clickbait in social control media - both sides already make preparations to that effect "just in case" and Taiwan can be invaded/blitzed any day. I don't think for a moment China would stop at Taiwan (recess likely, but temptations loom), just as I don't believe Russia would stop at Ukraine.
People born right after the last World War have less to worry about because they're in a late stage of their life (or already dead). They typically worry about their kids and grandkids. Their kids may be coping OK financially, but the grandkids have dire prospects (not just financially; climate too is a factor).
I'm fully aware that this subject is a lot bigger than just "tech", but it's difficult to ignore the context or overlook the state/shape of the planet. Human civilisation is at risk and "[i]t is still 90 seconds to midnight," according to the Science and Security Board (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists). This was last updated in January, i.e. before some of the latest escalations in/around Taiwan, Russian progress (inwards into Ukraine), and the Sino-Russian alliance tightening further, with Iran as a third wheel lobbing hundreds of missiles and drones directly onto Israel. There are growing concerns that Donald Trump might make a comeback for what he calls "unified Reich" and now we're meant to be conditioned into thinking that Microsoft watching everything we do (under the guise of "AI") is no worse than Apple scanning all of our files (sold to us as protecting kids from pedophiles).
The future does not seem bright, except in the form of a nuclear flash. In the context of survival the "tech" issues are merely a side show. "Tech" ceases to matter when people are preoccupied with finding the next meal and they can't quite find a socket (for charging a battery) anyway. █
