Week 2
In week two we examine whether or not technologies are political. In my humble opinion I would reply with a resounding yes! However, the more salient question might be how and why these technologies are political? Some will argue that technology is neutral and therefore cannot be political. I shun this argument and reply that technology is not immaculate, nor does it spontaneously appear. Technology starts as a seedling within a person’s mind, a mind which is shaped by experiences and preconceptions. These ideas are hence incarnate within the technology.
I believe that certain technologies are created with good intentions such as washers and dryers. However, how many families could afford a washer and dryer when first introduced to the public? So somewhere between the inventor of the technology and the supplier of the technology, individuals were involved in adding to the politics of the technology. Now, even if one could afford the technology, the politics of the technology discriminate against those with limited space or in my case growing up with poor plumbing. Growing up in my mother’s house the pipes were mostly busted and the drains were backed up and could not be fixed without replacement. Since my mom supported us on a single income we could never utilize this technology even if affordable. So instead of washer and dryer technology we used buckets to meet our laundry needs. Although this was a primitive form of technology we used, (and it may stir up certain images of stereotypes) it was absolutely necessary for us, as the popular technology’s politics of the time discriminated against our group or class.
Now, the example I used from my past illustrates that the technology was invented with positive intentions. Yet, because this technology was invented by a person with preconceived notions rather than an immaculate design, many groups were discriminated against by the politics of this technology. It is my belief that no matter if you believe in Plato’s theory of hierarchy and its relation to technology, or people who blatantly abuse technology for personal gain, or my theory of accidental discrimination, we can surmise that technology will be associated with politics well into the future.
