The Rise Of Anti-Tech Movements
While not fully anti-tech, the growing number of protest movements shows culture pushing back on some technologies.
Perhaps the most well known anti-technology movement was the Luddites of the early 19th century. But they weren’t really anti-technology. They just wanted a fair wage and to be treated well by their employers. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) today, we may be entering a similar phase. What might this look like?
Along with the Luddites there was the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th century, in the 1960s to 70’s there was the back-to-the-land movements and the Neo Luddites of the late 20th century. What’s important to understand though is that most of these movements and groups aren’t anti-technological progress, they’re advocating for a more balanced, less speedy approach.
Understanding these movements and their vision for technology’s role in society helps us to see how culture is working to change technology after it has changed us.
If it feels to you as if technologies like AI, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) along with social media, smartphones and so on are coming at us so fast, you’re right. You may also be feeling it’s also too much, too fast. Or perhaps that social media has ruined…
