Why Wireless Internet at the Burrow is a Good Idea: In Praise of Technological Uselessness

Why Wireless Why Wireless Internet at the Internet at the

Burrow is a Good Burrow is a Good IdeaIdea

In Praise of Technological In Praise of Technological UselessnessUselessness

Dr. Joel HunterDr. Joel Hunter

InfinitusInfinitus HPEF, Orlando, FLHPEF, Orlando, FL

July 2010July 2010

Technology = Magic?

Historical MagicHistorical Magic

ClarkeClarke’’s Third Laws Third Law

Any Any sufficiently sufficiently advanced advanced technology is technology is indistinguishable indistinguishable from magic.from magic.

Technology = Magic?

NivenNiven’’ss LawLaw

Historical MagicHistorical Magic

ClarkeClarke’’s Third Laws Third Law

Niven’s Law

Any Any sufficiently sufficiently rigorously defirigorously defined ned magic is magic is indistinguishable from technologyindistinguishable from technology..

‘‘rigorously definedrigorously defined’’ = = ‘‘rational and rational and systematicsystematic’’

J. K. Rowling

I spent a lot of time inventing the rules for the magical I spent a lot of time inventing the rules for the magical world so that I knew the limits of magic. Then I had to world so that I knew the limits of magic. Then I had to invent the different ways wizards could accomplish certain invent the different ways wizards could accomplish certain thingsthings. (1999). (1999)

The five years I spent on The five years I spent on HP and the PhilosopherHP and the Philosopher’’s Stones Stonewere spent constructing The Rules. (were spent constructing The Rules. (……) The most important ) The most important thing to decide when youthing to decide when you’’re creating a fantasy world is what re creating a fantasy world is what the characters CANthe characters CAN’’T do.T do. (2000)(2000)

I have to know in detail what magic can and cannot do in I have to know in detail what magic can and cannot do in order to set the parameters and establish the storiesorder to set the parameters and establish the stories’’internal logic. internal logic. (1998)(1998)

Source: Accio Quote!

Jacques Ellul

Technology is the totality (the Technology is the totality (the systematic unity) of all systematic unity) of all

rationalizedrationalized methods of action.methods of action.

Rationalized means of action maximize Rationalized means of action maximize efficiencyefficiency and and effectivenesseffectiveness

—La Technique, ou, l’enjeu du seicle (1954)

(The Technological Society, 1964)

1912-1994

Technology as a Social Force

The The ““one best meansone best means””——automatismautomatism

Applied to all fields of knowledge and all Applied to all fields of knowledge and all areas of societyareas of society——universaluniversal

SelfSelf--augmentingaugmenting and and autonomousautonomous

Limited only by societyLimited only by society’’s level of technical s level of technical developmentdevelopment

The Logic of Technology

If a technical possibility If a technical possibility cancan be developedbe developed……

It It mustmust be developedbe developed……

and appliedand applied……

……everywhere.everywhere.

Promises, Promises

Technology ≠ Tools

ValueValue--neutral assumptionneutral assumption

The technological principle The technological principle doesdoes

imply values:imply values:

oo PracticalPractical

oo StateState--ofof--thethe--artart

oo SuccessfulSuccessful

Tools for Conviviality?

IvanIvan IllichIllich

ConvivialityConviviality: life together : life together in peaceable, joyful in peaceable, joyful concord; concord; shalomshalom

1926-2002

Means and Ends

––””Paradise to be RegainedParadise to be Regained”” (1843)(1843)

ThoreauThoreau’’s Review ofs Review of

The Paradise Within Reach of All Men, Without The Paradise Within Reach of All Men, Without Labor, by Powers of Nature and Machinery: An Labor, by Powers of Nature and Machinery: An Address to All Intelligent MenAddress to All Intelligent Men (1842), by J. A.(1842), by J. A.EtzlerEtzler

Means and Ends

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

All our inventions are but All our inventions are but improved means to improved means to unimproved ends.unimproved ends.

1817-1862

Technological Imperio!

Education vs. Schooling

Hogwarts delivers technological instruction:Hogwarts delivers technological instruction:

schoolingschooling

TendencyTendency: to become a rational monopoly: to become a rational monopoly

Social EffectSocial Effect: the only authorized path to: the only authorized path to

knowledge, employment and social statusknowledge, employment and social status

within the systemwithin the system

The Spirit of Technology

I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal − to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked ... for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it.

—Goblet of Fire

Power

Technology ⇒ Invincibility

Greatness

Voldemort’s expression remained impassive as he said, “Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies. You must know this, Dumbledore.”

“You call it ‘greatness,’ what you have been doing, do you?”asked Dumbledore delicately.

“Certainly,” said Voldemort, and his eyes seemed to burn red. “I have experimented; I have pushed the boundaries of magic further, perhaps, than they have ever been pushed—”

“Of some kinds of magic,” Dumbledore corrected him quietly. “Of some. Of others, you remain…forgive me…woefully ignorant.”

Greatness

Who will attain anything Who will attain anything great if he if he

does not find in himself the strength does not find in himself the strength

and the will to inflict great suffering? and the will to inflict great suffering?

Being able to suffer is the least thing Being able to suffer is the least thing

((……). But not to perish of internal ). But not to perish of internal

distress and uncertainty when one distress and uncertainty when one

inflicts great suffering and hears the inflicts great suffering and hears the

cry of the sufferingcry of the suffering——that is great,

that belongs to greatness..

1825-1900

Greatness

He has done He has done greatthingsthings……terrible, yes, but terrible, yes, but great..

Laurence Peguy

“But I’m Not Voldemort!!!”

An Obvious Objection…

Oh, I had a few scruples. I assuaged my conscience with empty words. It would all be for the greater good, and any harm done would be repaid a hundredfold in benefits for wizards.

And at the heart of our schemes, the Deathly Hallows! (…) The unbeatable wand, the weapon that would lead us to power! (…) the legend said that the man who united all three objects would then be truly master of death, which we took to mean ‘invincible’.

“But I’m Not Voldemort!”

“But I’m Not Voldemort!”

Do I nurse the delusion of control andDo I nurse the delusion of control and

exercise it over others?exercise it over others?

Do I resent my limitations and pour energyDo I resent my limitations and pour energy

into defying them?into defying them?

Is my default posture to comply with whatIs my default posture to comply with what

technology recommends as best?technology recommends as best?

Which Technological Future is the Real Danger?

The archThe arch--villain: architect of a social systemvillain: architect of a social system

that grinds the humanity out of us by brutethat grinds the humanity out of us by brute

force and terror?force and terror?

Which Technological Future is the Real Danger?

The archThe arch--villain: architect of a social systemvillain: architect of a social system

that grinds the humanity out of us by brutethat grinds the humanity out of us by brute

force and terror?force and terror?

The wellThe well--meaning , meaning , noblenoble--intentionedintentionedimprover of humanity whose improver of humanity whose ““solutionssolutions”” areareapplied to us for our own good?applied to us for our own good?

““Science Science Discovers, Discovers, Industry Applies, Industry Applies, ManMan……..””

““Science Science Discovers, Discovers, Industry Applies, Industry Applies, ManMan…….. ConformsConforms””

Evaluating Magic/Technology

1)1) Does it extinguish the free use of the Does it extinguish the free use of the natural abilities of the members of the natural abilities of the members of the society?society?

2)2) Does it isolate people from each other Does it isolate people from each other and lock them into humanand lock them into human--made shells?made shells?

Illich’s 4 Questions of Conviviality

4)4) Does the acceleration of techniques Does the acceleration of techniques (their complexity, power, etc.) (their complexity, power, etc.) enforceenforce

social change at a rate that rules out social change at a rate that rules out cultural precedents for present cultural precedents for present behavior?behavior?

3)3) Does it promote extreme social Does it promote extreme social polarization and splintering polarization and splintering specialization within the community?specialization within the community?

Responsible Magic/Technology

Does the technology diminish or Does the technology diminish or increase conviviality?increase conviviality?

What are the social consequences if I What are the social consequences if I am committed to this technology?am committed to this technology?

Further Reading

Wendell BerryWendell Berry

IvanIvan IllichIllich

JacquesJacques EllulEllulThe Technological SocietyThe Technological Society

Propaganda: The Formation of MenPropaganda: The Formation of Men’’s Attitudess Attitudes

The Technological BluffThe Technological Bluff

Why Wireless Internet at the Burrow is a Good Idea: In Praise of Technological Uselessness

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