Does technology deserve the hype? Answers from Irish History

The Age-Friendly University was delighted to welcome Tyler West, researcher in the School of Communication, for a presentation on technology. 

Abstract:

It’s common knowledge that we are living in an 'unprecedented’ and ‘uncharted’ time of technological change. Advertisers constantly bombard us with the ‘latest’, ‘newest’, ‘fastest’ gizmos, and politicians assure us that 3D printing will solve the housing crisis. On the other hand, emerging technologies are regularly framed as bogeymen threatening our existence. The Atlantic recently asked subscribers to ponder the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). One reader wrote, “Of all the genies I wish we could return to their bottles, this ranks among the highest for me.”

 It seems that there is both a collective belief that technology deserves our undivided attention and a confusion over whether it is a cure-all or a Pandora's box. However, few people stop to think whether this obsession over technology is helpful or even necessary. A more critical look at humans’ relationship with hi-tech would encourage us to ask important questions such as, “Are today’s technologies really that different from past ones?” and “Whose interests does society’s fixation with new tech serve?”.

Tyler drew on Ireland's unique history to help answer these and other topical questions.