After cars, the robot shoes But so is denied a piece of us – the Journal

I understand those who have nostalgia for the abacus: to me brings to mind the teacher, some fellow elementary school who are still fond of. Another world. But no one can prove that nostalgia would put today to make the personal accounts of his company or other with the abacus. Will have some uncertainty in the multiplication tables, however there is the calculator, much safer machine of mind that makes conto.La news that Nike is about to market the first pair of shoes that fastens alone sobering. Thus advancing the scientific progress of humanity: the beginning the technique, with the construction of the machines, replacing the arms and legs of the man, then the technology is imposed on the operations of the brain. With the word ‘technology’ he has added something to that ‘technical’, that is the classic greek word ‘logos’ which means reason, logical thinking. And that’s it: the abacus goodbye, welcome calcolatrice.Noi all now we are in the hands of technology, in the sense that she is in control us and dominate us. Just think of the panic that takes us if we do not operate the computer, if you block the e-mail, or all’arrabbiatura we feel if we wait longer than expected to issue a ticket because it does not work in the Internet.Siamo connection, however, we believe to be to command the “electronic machine”, making them do what we want: actually only execute what she allows us to do just on the basis of its potential, which grow thanks to scientists’ research. And life changes, sometimes in a positive way by offering practicality, simplicity, speed; sometimes in horrible way: think of such monstrosities can lead engineering genetica.Nessuna technological research can be addressed and developed if in perspective does not have an economic viability. Here, alongside the great innovations of technology, there are also irrelevant from the point of view of scientific progress: now there’s the shoe that fastens alone, there is already the car that makes many in replacement operations driver, there’s the steak that you cook on their own, and tomorrow there will be shirt and pants that button while we’re there and do nothing. Beautiful? Spaventoso.Ancora scarier idea of ​​being in the hands of the computer, the Internet, e-mail. This is because there is subtracted our daily dimension, where small gestures such as those to tie a shoe or buttoning a shirt. A subtraction that occurs with the apparent simplicity of a game that has nothing to do with the mysterious complexity of a computer.La computer technology governs the operations of the mind; technology (seemingly) simple, almost trivial, the shoe that fastens itself makes us lose the primary and elementary skills of life. We forget the gestures that are part of being human. We become small and insignificant automi.Non because both a nostalgic of the abacus, but you look at the educational disaster experienced by children with this “simple technology” applied to games. Small machines that suck their attention, requiring obsessive answers to which reacts with a neurotic compulsion to repeat. You destroyed the primary competence and elementary play, it is denied all its symbolic dimension that underlies the formation of a child. And tomorrow the small will not even need the mother to help him tie his shoes and to teach him how. That would be progress.