Hilmar;

I have to agree with you. Technology for the sake of technology is like the devil turned loose! However there is some good that has come from technology and unfortunately in some cases, we have become dependant upon it.

Try doing without some forms of technology. Electricity is just one example. Without electricity you do not have refrigeration, lighting, your security system will not work, and if you are in an Iron Lung, you will soon be dead!

You will not be able to watch or hear the media. Come to think of it - that might be a good idea! :)

Tom




>People are easily fooled into believing that technological solutions will improve the World: steam power; electricity; information technology; computers; the green revolution - you name it!
>
>What we really need in the World is an improved ethics (I would rather call it "spirituality", but "ethics" or "moral" will do as well).
>
>Technological solutions can help, but they are no panacaea. And quite often, the way they are used depends on who uses it - for what purposes. These purposes are not always the betterment of mankind, as it should be.
>
>>There continues to be considerable talk around the growing "information economy".
>>It continues to be used to rationalize the movement of manufacturing jobs offshore (as in "yes, well those are 'old-world' and we are now moving into the information economy with plenty of jobs for the computer-literate").
>>
>>Now I am aware of certain successful more recent businesses that sell "information" and make good money. Two that come to mind are weather tracking/predicting and satellite photography. I also know that marketing is successfully using (long deemd private, but they don't care) information from widely disparate sources to improve their techniques and success rates. And of course there are several that have been with us for a long time (well before computers) in specific niches.
>>
>>But where is the burgeoning "INFORMATION ECONOMY???
>>Was it assumed as part of the .COM explosion and forgotten that it was linked in the subsequent collapse?
>>
>>I do know of one part of the information stream that is growing like wildfire and will continue unabated for the foreseeable future - work wanted signs and resume production.