Should we trust those who would like to reassure us about the safety of new technologies?

The "reassurance machinery" staffed by corporate and technological high priests is working overtime on telling us that today's new high priests have everything in control and we don't need to worry about anything at all….

For example, on the new nano technologies, see the statement in the last day or so available on: http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060422/NEWS0501/604220323/1152

however, given the history of the failure of such corporate and technological high priests (think silicom implants, think asbestos, think tobacco and smoking, think DDT…the list is endless), anyone who trusts such reassurances is an idiot.

Let's first find out why cancer has become a plague (and the reassurance industry keeps telling us that it's all to do only with our better and better ability to spot cancer).

Or why the proporition of diabetics keeps increasing (the reassurance industry can only squeak about better identification in addition to more old people and more obesity and the need for more exercise, when we know lots of young slim exercisaholics suffering from diabetes…)

Or why the sperm count has fallen continues to fall and why and female barrenness/ period pains/ PMT/gynaelogical problems continue to increase in all industrialised countries (the reassurance industry just keeps mum on this as it does not know what to say).

When we have such issues satisfactorily sorted, then it will be a good time to start thinking of whether to trust the reassurances offered by the contemporary high priests in companies, universities and laboratories on the newer technologies that are being hatched now.

Don't get me wrong: I do believe in scientific and technological progress, I do think it important to praise and reward inventors, and I do think that investors should make money from successful innovations, discoveries and technologies - but only when these really enhance human life, not when they worsen the quality of human life around the globe.

new technologies, science, progress, innovations, discoveries, ethics, Guptara, Sphere: Related Content