Advances in technology are always progressive

[malaise]

The cell phone and all the new technology with cameras are an important part of shattering myths and exposing the lies.

No wonder RW morons hate science and research.

Bravo to all who developed these ubiquitous cameras. The lies are being exposed more and more.

[guillaumeb]

1. Except when they are not.

Like the Stingray, a device that police are using to capture ALL cell phone activity in an area:

From the link:
Stingrays, also known as "cell site simulators" or "IMSI catchers," are invasive cell phone surveillance devices that mimic cell phone towers and send out signals to trick cell phones in the area into transmitting their locations and identifying information. When used to track a suspect's cell phone, they also gather information about the phones of countless bystanders who happen to be nearby.

https://www.aclu.org/map/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them

[cali]

2. no, they really, really aren't

think of warfare technology, for one.

Advances in technology are neither progressive or conservative. they can almost invariably used for good ends or bad ones, however.

[malaise]

3. I thought about that before posting

and have to agree re technology developed for warfare. Let's accept that there are several sides to technology.
That said, I'm thinking about fundamental technological change like the steam engine, printing press, radio, the telephone etc., all of which can be used for good or evil.
Take sports - instant replays exposed and continue to expose umpires and referees big time. Their status as symbols of law and order were shattered the day after the first instant replay. Many were cheaters. In reality the camera does challenge law enforcement - just like the umpire or referee, their word is not good enough when others have video.

While the cell works for the system as well, it gives us the opportunity to record ordinary happenings in ways we never dreamed of - and it is progressive to that extent.

[HereSince1628]

8. Knowledge is not neutral and it's application to problem solving involves moral decisions

manufacturers seem, at best, to be amoral, DARPA and the DOD are tremendous sources of research money

American business believes that piles of money are there to be tapped.

If you are a tech geek what appeals to you? Safe water, or hitting a bullet with a bullet? Seeing walls that divide society or seeing thru walls with thermal imaging?

Unfortunately, the balance of the answers to those questions leans toward producing technology that makes people more dangerous to each other.

[The2ndWheel]

4. Yup, that's why we have so many environmental issues

Not being sarcastic.

And violence/war is absolutely progressive. Humanity wouldn't be where we're at if we weren't good at it. That's against other people or the non-human world, either way.

[malaise]

5. Many of our environmental issues are associated with greed

not technological developments. Indeed technology related to the electric car and solar was deliberately thwarted by the oil barons, and their lobbyists and their political hacks.

[The2ndWheel]

6. I'm not seeing where electric or solar energy isn't based on greed

We define them as clean and green, we justify it, but what we want is more. Flying in an airplane, traveling at 55mph, building roads, agriculture, living longer, etc, etc, etc, it's all greed. Civilization is nothing but a resource concentration mechanism. What we do to the planet, is no different than what the 1% does to the economy. They hoard money, we hoard energy. 6 of one...

Don't be scared of greed. Greed is progress. We wouldn't be where we're at without it. Good greed, bad greed, that all depends on one's particular perspective. That's a morality issue, thus subjective. It's all greed though. We don't want potentially limitless energy in order to use or do less. What would be the point?

[beam me up scottie]

7. S'okay, malaise.

I get what you're saying.

Advances in science and technology are always progressive, how they're used by others doesn't change that fact.

[malaise]

9. Precisely

and they will always be used for good and bad.