The proper use of technology is that it should be a means to serve us and make our lives easier. A key requirement is that we should be in control. We should not serve technology and allow our gadgets to control our lives, social skills or decisions. When this happens, it can … Read more
If the pace of life seems overwhelming, it might well be because we have assumed so many of the jobs once held by others. This is the position of Craig Lambert in his book, Shadow Work: The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs That Fill Your Day (Berkeley, Calif., Counterpoint Press, 2015). The Harvard sociologist … Read more
A couple of summers ago, an old building in Topeka, Kansas was razed by a spectacular implosion. It was a large, 14-story structure, a minor landmark in the downtown area, and the event was scheduled for a Sunday morning so as not to interfere with traffic and commercial activity. Although the implosion … Read more
There is the mistaken impression that computers represent the future and that everyone, especially the very young, should become computer savvy as soon as possible. According to this view, failure to expose children to high technology handicaps their ability to function in the real world. However, in the real world, addiction to … Read more
Technology, the work-saving redeemer of previous centuries, seems to be backfiring. As workers become more dependent on the modern equivalent of the steam engine, the smartphone, one should presumably find more time for recreation, rest and family interaction. After all, machines were meant to make work easier and free up time. Nevertheless, … Read more
Everyone’s eyes are turned to China, the Middle Kingdom, whose dizzying economic growth never ceases to draw exaggerated praise. However, we are also facing the growing military might of a government that not only has not renounced the Marxist ideology but still maintains the relentless repression typical of Communist police states. Thus, … Read more
A huge geo-social gorge has suddenly appeared on the nation’s political landscape, and nearly everyone is talking about it. This strange chasm unites politicians of all parties into demanding immediate action. Educators, too, have placed it high on their agenda. What is this yawning gash that must be bridged at all cost? … Read more
Machines are ever more plentiful and useful, but something more important, more spiritual, is being lost One of the greatest influences of the Industrial Revolution on society was perhaps its ability to mechanize our lives. In a materialistic world, which adores speed, it seems only natural that matter and speed come together … Read more