I suppose, somewhere, for each tool we have created, be it a road, or engine, or ink pen, keyboard, there is an imaginary list that travels along with the item, that tallies not just what advantage the tool gives us, but also the advantage it takes from us. The road makes the journey easier, but the oak tree and old farm had to be removed, and the pollution the road brings. The engine makes the journey faster, but how much do we miss along the way because of it? How many dead people, cats, dogs, and squirrels run over? The ink pen leaves the plastic shell behind, one more bit of garbage when it's spent of ink, and touching plastic does no one physical good, with its endocrine disruptors. My computer keyboard...another set of hazards, perhaps too many words and not enough deeds on my part. The list, indeed, goes on and on. At some point, we really can't know what we are missing by using so many tools we usually consider to be great benefits. We literally become who our tools shape us to be.
I suppose, somewhere, for each tool we have created, be it a road, or engine, or ink pen, keyboard, there is an imaginary list that travels along with the item, that tallies not just what advantage the tool gives us, but also the advantage it takes from us. The road makes the journey easier, but the oak tree and old farm had to be removed, and the pollution the road brings. The engine makes the journey faster, but how much do we miss along the way because of it? How many dead people, cats, dogs, and squirrels run over? The ink pen leaves the plastic shell behind, one more bit of garbage when it's spent of ink, and touching plastic does no one physical good, with its endocrine disruptors. My computer keyboard...another set of hazards, perhaps too many words and not enough deeds on my part. The list, indeed, goes on and on. At some point, we really can't know what we are missing by using so many tools we usually consider to be great benefits. We literally become who our tools shape us to be.
Ursula LeGuin wrote a short story from the view of a tree being hit by a car. https://xpressenglish.com/direction-of-the-road/