Thursday, July 4, 2013

Gains and losses

If Wendell Berry's list left you wanting more, check out Jacques Ellul's list of "76 reasonable questions to ask about any technology", divided by category (Ecological, Social, Practical, Moral, Ethical, Vocational, Metaphysical, Political, Aesthetic).  They're actually very revealing things to consider, and most are pretty simple (so don't be intimidated by the number!).  

Some of my favorites include:
-Is it ugly?
-What noise does it make?
-Does it require a bureaucracy for its perpetuation?
-What aspect of the inner self does it reflect?
-Does it express love?
-Does it express rage?
-What does it allow us to ignore?
-What are its effects on the land?
-What are its effects on the planet and the person?

And these two questions are the first two we should ask, in my opinion, when considering any technology, as they lead to all the others:
-What is gained by its use?
-What is lost in using it?

And, in light of your answer to those two, I would add the following:
-Are you OK with that?

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