Technology ain't everything

Technology <i>is</i> everything, in terms of quality of life. Without the invention of technologies like the wheel, masonry, the printing press, electricity, sewerage, the light bulb, the computer.. we wouldn't be as safe, warm, educated, and sanitary as we are today.<p><i>Is it really that hard to turn a handle for 10 seconds?</i><p>No, Mr I'm Not Disabled. It's not hard for <i>us</i> to get up and change the channel on the TV by hand or to walk a mile to WalMart and carry our groceries home each day either.<p><i>Do we really need computer-controlled robotic can-opening devices?</i><p>Did we really need to go to the moon? Not really, but the effort of doing so spawned a number of significant industries.<p>Did <i>pg</i> really need to set up a small system for us to post links and stories? Not really, but the relationships and knowledge that have come from it greatly eclipse his plans for it at the time.<p>Did Linus Torvalds need to play around with making his own small operating system? Not really. We all know what came of that, though.<p>With technology, intentions don't count for much; the unintended results can easily reach a long way. Perhaps the e-book or the robotic can opening device will inspire unrelated inventions.

His two usage problems - reading in the bathtub and in bed are easily solved.<p>Bathtub: Zip lock bag. x2 for the safety conscious.<p>Bed: bent wire hanger <a href="http://blog.xkcd.com/2009/04/13/the-pursuit-of-laziness/" rel="nofollow">http://blog.xkcd.com/2009/04/13/the-pursuit-of-laziness/</a><p>The bigger thing to me is how the cell modem in the Kindle changes the dynamics of books. An example: In conversation, one of my friends tells me about a book they recently read.<p>Rather than a quickly forgotten mental note to look into it the next time I make it to the bookstore, I can download the sample (if available) and start reading. If I'm enjoying it, I can buy it and simply continue reading.

Flamebait. Some technologies are better hits than others, and anecdotes about can openers and books don't seem like enough to generalize to the statement "Technology for the sake of technology is a waste of time", which I personally disagree with.<p>My own anecdote about can openers: I use an old-fashioned one, though my friend's little old grandma has a cool electric one under which she just has to hold the can while it magnetizes the top and cuts it off. She could probably use the old-fashioned can opener, but arthritis is still annoying.

People create a lot of this "excess" technology not for its usefulness, but because someone out there will buy it from them.