Essays From West of 98: Technology, Tools, and Life
Grappling with technology's influence requires asking serious questions
What good is new technology, anyway?
That’s not a rhetorical device to suggest that new technology has no positive qualities. Far from it. It is a sincere question that merits thoughtful consideration. Today, “technology” has a connotation of computers and connections to the internet, but the actual definition is far simpler. Technology is merely the application of scientific principles for practical purposes. That is it. This sounds far-fetched in the Year of Our Lord 2023, but once upon a time, “fire” and the “wheel” were the most revolutionary technologies ever seen.
The practical application of technology comes in the form of tools. Tools can run the gamut from the simple (a garden hoe) to the complex (the iPhone). We can talk about “technology” in an abstract sense, but tools are where the rubber meets the road of technology in our life.
In his seminal and controversial 1987 essay “Why I Am Not Going to Buy a Computer,” Wendell Berry set forth his rules for considering and adopting new tools:
The new tool should be cheaper than the one it replaces.
It should be at least as small in scale as the one it replaces.
It should do work that is clearly and demonstrably better than the one it replaces.
It should use less energy than the one it replaces.
If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body.
It should be repairable by a person of ordinary intelligence, provided that he or she has the necessary tools.
It should be purchasable and repairable as near to home as possible.
It should come from a small, privately owned shop or store that will take it back for maintenance and repair.
It should not replace or disrupt anything good that already exists, and this includes family and community relationships.
These rules are both simple and highly common-sensical. How are we doing with them, though? Not great! We have made most tools cheaper and many tools smaller, but how about the rest? Hoooo boy. I would say our application of technology and development of new tools has done the exact opposite of those rules. Our tools are generally shoddier. You can’t sell and re-sell tools repeatedly when they are built to last. Our tools are ever-more impossible to repair by ordinary people, either due to disposability or complexity. Our tools are manufactured and sold by outlets ever larger and farther from home. And how about that last rule that our tools should not replace or disrupt good things like family and community? We have done the exact opposite with practically every tool. In fact, if we had set out to intentionally destroy community and family dynamics with our adoption of new technology throughout society, we could not be much more successful than what we have done in reality.
Last week, I wrote about the insightful perspective of the Luddites of 19th century England. The Luddites did not reject technology, but they were wary of it and they sought to adopt technological innovations that would serve everyone, not just a selected and powerful few at the expense of the rest of society. In many ways, Wendell Berry’s rules for new tools are a modern and specific outline of the Luddites’ general sentiment. We must not lose sight of the fact that tools and technologies are mere human creations and their consequences are human-made consequences. If humanity destroys good and wholesome things, it is not the fault of inanimate technology. It is the fault of human beings who created that technology and enabled its destructive consequences.
Parallel with my writing last week and unbeknownst to me, my friend-via-Twitter Lenny Wells wrote a beautiful essay on the adoption of new technology. He is a bit older than me, but we both spent our formative years amidst the technological revolution of the 1980s and 1990s, experiencing life before and after the advent of the internet. Lenny points out the inherent conflict of technology—innovations like indoor plumbing and widespread electricity are good, while Amazon.com has become both necessary and destructive. I would encourage you to read his entire essay.
I’ll close with a question that Lenny asks: “how do we maintain a balance between both worlds—the old and new—and still live a rich and fulfilling life?”
The Luddites essentially asked that very question, but they were trampled by the Industrial Revolution. Our rural communities have been similarly trampled for decades with limited sign of relief. Our society seems bent on adopting every new technology that promises less work and cheaper goods, regardless of the consequences. Lest this obsession stamp out our small towns altogether, rural America must consider Lenny’s question. We must similarly balance the old and new to build a rich and fulfilling life.
How do we do that? Wendell Berry’s rules are a good place to start.
James Decker is the Mayor of Stamford, Texas and the creator of the West of 98 website and the Rural Church and State and West of 98 podcasts. Contact James and subscribe to these essays at westof98.substack.com and subscribe to him wherever podcasts are found.
This is very good James. I especially liked this:
"If humanity destroys good and wholesome things, it is not the fault of inanimate technology. It is the fault of human beings who created that technology and enabled its destructive consequences."
This needs to be said much more often. We are responsible for technological ology, even generative/artificial intelligence. Ultimately, the buck stops with us and we can't shift blame onto some abstract and independent technological force/machine - the problem is us. We are the machine - it is a manifestation of our deep and sometimes destructive desires. The moment we start blaming it rather than us we head down the path to futility.
Thanks for your thoughtful reflections James and the recommendation for the essay - will certainly have a look. My husband and I just released a post yesterday which attempts to answer your question:
“how do we maintain a balance between both worlds—the old and new—and still live a rich and fulfilling life?” I would be interested to hear your thoughts on our suggested guideposts outlined in "The 3Rs of Unmachining" https://schooloftheunconformed.substack.com/p/the-3rs-of-unmachining-guideposts?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2