EP 317 — Rachel Miles: Making Technology Work For You!
Oct 29, 2024
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The discussion delves into the ethics and implications of our reliance on technology. It questions whether devices enhance or detract from our lives and relationships. Anecdotes highlight the challenge of basic tasks without gadgets, like telling time or simple math. The dangers of media addiction are explored alongside the environmental impact of tech consumption. Concerns about personal data and freedoms given to corporations are raised, urging a mindful approach to technology use in our daily lives.
01:25:42
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Quick takeaways
The podcast critiques techno-solutionism, emphasizing the need for technology to address genuine human problems rather than just following trends.
A significant concern raised is the environmental impact of generative AI, highlighting the importance of aligning technological advancement with ecological sustainability.
The discussion advocates for mindful technology use, especially among parents, to encourage critical thinking and maintain authentic relationships for future generations.
Deep dives
The Environmental Impact of AI
Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, consumes significant resources, particularly fresh water, which is already a scarce commodity. Operating these AI tools incurs costs ranging from $7 to $12 billion per day, raising concerns about the sustainability of such technologies. Fresh water, which constitutes only 2.5% of the Earth's total water supply, is predominantly reserved for agriculture, leaving little available for energy-intensive computing. This highlights a pressing need for awareness of the ecological toll associated with maintaining AI systems, emphasizing that technological advancement must align with environmental sustainability.
Technology's Double-Edged Sword
The conversation highlights the paradox of technology's role in enhancing productivity while simultaneously presenting dangers to mental health and social interactions. For instance, concerns have been raised about how devices can lead to addiction and decrease human connection, particularly among children. Professionals like Rachel emphasize the importance of using technology to enhance, rather than hinder, human experience, encouraging the development of tools that genuinely address real-world problems. As technology evolves, there is a pressing need to critically assess its impact on our lives and overall wellbeing.
The Corporate Technology Dilemma
Rachel describes her experience working with corporations that often prioritize the incorporation of trendy technology, like AI, over genuine problem-solving. This techno-solutionism can lead to wasteful practices where businesses invest in technology without fully understanding its implications. Rachel's consultancy focuses on mapping out real problems and identifying effective solutions that may not even include technology, advocating for a more intentional approach to innovation. This reinforces the necessity of aligning technological development with actual human needs and social welfare.
Digital Dependency and Its Consequences
The discussion explores how over-reliance on technology can lead to diminished self-sufficiency, citing examples like dependence on GPS for navigation or smart appliances for basic tasks. This reliance often erodes personal skills and knowledge, creating a generation that is less equipped to address simple problems independently. It is crucial to encourage a balanced relationship with technology, facilitating self-discovery and skill development while avoiding the trap of intellectual laziness. By fostering critical thinking and engagement with the surrounding world, individuals can maintain their autonomy in an increasingly digitized society.
The Changing Nature of Reality
The podcast discusses the concept of reality in the context of the digital era, emphasizing that technology can create distractions that detach us from our immediate experiences. The contrast between analog interactions, such as caring for plants, and digital engagements, like virtual toys, highlights how the digital realm can obscure authentic relationships with the physical environment. Concern is raised over technology's role in shaping perceptions and behaviors, often leading to a devaluation of real-world experiences. As a society, it's vital to remain grounded in physical reality, maintaining a connection to nature and interpersonal relationships amidst growing digital distractions.
Parental Awareness in a Tech-Driven World
Rachel underscores the importance of parental awareness regarding the technologies their children engage with, advocating for a balanced approach to screen time. Many parents, caught in their own technology habits, may inadvertently pass these behaviors onto their children, resulting in a cycle of dependency. By encouraging natural play and exploration without the interference of screens, parents can help children develop creative and critical thinking skills essential for healthy development. This proactive stance can safeguard against the adverse effects of technology, ultimately fostering a more engaged, empathetic, and well-rounded future generation.
Do you ever think about the downstream implications and ethics involved in relying so deeply every day on technology? If you haven’t given it much thought, have you tried — and failed — to accomplish the simple act of telling time with a conventional clock or doing math without a calculator lately?
Learn how some forms of technologies don’t make our lives better, safer and healthier with design and tech consultant Rachel Miles this week on Spirit Gym.
Sign up for your Spirit Gym podcast membership, so you can access members-only extended versions of the podcast along with exclusive Q&A opportunities with Paul.
Timestamps
6:02 Techno-solutionism.
7:36 Creating technology is a uniquely human skill.
9:41 Technology that removes our connection to the self or other.
21:54 Can you tell time with a conventional clock or watch?
31:14 The disposability and consumption of tech devices that harms us and the world.
49:01 Finding the right mix of technology in our lives is a big challenge, especially for families.
59:06 How much of our freedoms and personal data are we giving up freely to Big Brother daily?
1:03:30 “How are we thinking about our intention when we use technology?”
1:11:41 Are you using technology to help you solve problems or distract you from living life?
Resources
Danica Patrick talks to Gregg Braden about The Future of Humanity on YouTube
Paul’s video on The Danger of Living in Two Realities on YouTube
