Tech and materialism in the middle of a polarized world

– Rodney Trice –

In the year 2018 there’s a lot more than just the division of red team and blue team in the United States that’s polarizing us.

Too often, those of us who are welcoming and excited about technology and the future that is being ushered in forget the fact that there are masses of people out there are seriously not feeling all the new developments. These masses do not understand technology, have not been trained whatsoever in any of it and consider a PC or any computer in their home a threat and a sure spying tool by the CIA and/or Obama. Many watch changes even in check out lines at the grocery store and contemplate on the way home whether or not they should buy more weapons and bury them in the yard. And though I joke, we cannot argue away the clear reality that all of this development is indeed taking away their jobs.

Now, though I am embracing all that the new technology can bring forward and make possible for me, I am of an age bracket and skill set that largely and in general finds the acceleration of tech evolution frustrating at best. I love my human evolved skills and find dignity in being a man solidly still honing and using them. Proudly I can fix anything at home, well, as long as it doesn’t have some dastardly computer chip in it. UGH!

Seriously though, I work hard progressing my tremendous amount of hand skills along with my own “gray matter” understanding of materials. Particularly materials which have aged 50 years or more who’s material properties have changed quite a bit. Yet, in todays markets, it is not enough. And that is frustrating at times.

In this lecture I hope to plant the seeds of understanding that might grow into a salve or at least the beginning of a conversation about considering remedies to soften or at least open minds and reduce the wild division we currently see amongst ourselves. With some understanding and a lot of humor, hopefully we can foster a more peacefully transition into this new era for all of humanity.

Even if we just solve the materialism/technology balance through the coming global, economic and environmental problems for which we have yet to see how they will play out. Even if only that, well then we are going the right direction.