Our Paradoxical Future

Does technology spell a dystopian future for our society? Or will it save us from our previously-inevitable destruction? Paradoxically, the answer is, in my view, a little bit of both.

Even in today's hyper-connected world, misuse of technology remains a major concern. Hackers constantly attempt to infiltrate the servers that form the underpinnings of the Internet. We continue to utilize dirty fossil fuels that possess an extreme externality cost on future generations of world citizens. Children and adults are distracted by an overload of context-less, meaningless information. Unscrupulous governments, and in many cases, even supposedly-democratic governments like our own, spy on their citizens under the guise of "security." Taken like this, it would seem that technology is an oppressive force that will ultimately bring about our society's collapse.

But the paradoxical reality is that technology will be our savior to these problems. More effective security protocols can protect the web from hackers. Green energy technologies like wind, solar, and geothermal will in the future carry the day as we choose to drive primarily electric vehicles. We can engineer new technologies to "humanize" the Internet and educate our citizens in such a way as to provide context to an increasingly overloaded world. And public participation, outcry, and ultimately, technological advancements and reform, can reduce the harmful use of warrantless wiretapping by governments. Indeed, there are challenges to meet with technological advancement, but ultimately, we will be defined by our response, and our response, like it or not, is going to come in the form of technology.

Above, I embedded the trailer for Showtime's new miniseries Years of Living Dangerously, which premiered Sunday night. The documentary series follows influencers and change-makers as they discover the real-world impacts of anthropogenic climate change and potential strategies for its mitigation. In a paradoxical fashion, technology (in this case, fossil fuel technologies, like deep-sea drilling and hydrofracking) are bringing about unprecedented global destruction, and yet technology forms our best answer at solving the problem (new renewable energy production, all-electric vehicles, and energy-efficiency best practices). It's a paradoxical perspective, but it aligns well with our paradoxical reality.

A Reflection on Early Adoption

The line for the first-generation iPad at Apple's famous "Glass Cube" retail store in New York City on launch day. These people are early adopters, like me. (PHOTO: All Things D/Wall Street Journal)

It's official: I'm an early adopter. What does that mean, you may ask? It means that I adopt new technology quickly and before others. It means that while I might be aware of the risks of first-generation technologies, I am willing to accept some tradeoffs in order to be among the first to try a new product. It means that I am tech-savvy, choosing to challenge convention with new products that may or many not yet be proven.

Don't blame me; new technology is fascinating! Especially products that change the world all while making your life easier. As for potential security and safety issues, I'm of the opinion that it wouldn't ship if it weren't safe or secure. And there's something special about being among the first to try something. You get to claim that you tried or had something before it was popular, or that you were an early adopter of that technology.

Case in point: despite the inherent risks of sending money over the internet, I was among the first of my friends to use Square Cash, a service which allows individuals to send money directly to others using nothing but your debit card and smartphone. While I saw the genius of this technology and how it would make my life easier (no more splitting checks!) my friends and family were concerned about the relative security of sending money over the Internet. Square may have bank-grade security, but the ease of using the product causes many to grow concerned. Luckily, because Square Cash does not require that both users use the service, one can send money to another person even if they do not have the app. So the first time I used Square, I sent my dad $5 for losing a bet. While he was confused initially on how to accept the funds, he did so and now is an avid Square Cash user. In this way, early adopters can convince members of the early majority to adopt a product.

I can share similar examples. I was among the first to purchase a Verizon iPhone, for example. (Carrier contracts weren't worth breaking for the first-generation iPhone.) I was among the first to own an iPod touch. I dream about Tesla, and would own one if I had the cash. In fact, that illustrates a larger point: even when I cannot reasonably become an early adopter, I long to become one. And perhaps that shows more than anything else why I am an early adopter of new technologies.