Tag Archives: adbusters

I’m okay with being a progress-slave

This article, called “Technoslave,” recently appeared in Adbusters. Here’s a convincing little statement:

Scientists and psychologists are now beginning to classify technology dependency as a major health problem, putting it in the same categories as alcoholism, gambling and drug addiction. The stress it creates is causing arthritis, migraines and ulcers. 

Technology is all about how you manage it. Most of the time, I don’t answer my cell phone. I pick it up, see who’s calling, and calmly press “Decline” if it’s just going to be a further distraction. If you look at it this way, technology doesn’t seem any more stressful than someone bursting into your office to ask a question. 

Not to mention, the general point that this article makes is pretty weak when you apply the same logic to other forms of progress. Have we become “wheelslaves” or “toiletslaves?” Just because we’re a “slave” to something, that doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad.