Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology?
Simplerthinks: technology has made us more intelligent. Why? because of technology you now know dozens of people in many locations, where earlier most people would know only their family and neighbourhood. Knowing more people means you have to apply technology to stay connected and suddenly you need to synchronize PDAs with PCs, mobile phones and email accounts. Clearly this require more intelligence - before you just need a bit of memory...
(100% of 10 votes AGREE)
How can innovative ideas help the poorest.
Simplerthinks: check out this wood burning stove. it eliminates the cooking smoke that kills many poor people, while allowing more cooking to be done with less fuel - thus reducing CO2 emissions. it can even be produced locally. I think this is a nice example of how technology can help the poor... check it out:
Simplerthinks: I think it depends on the job type. Work requiring more thinking and creative problem solving would be higher quality of the job holder is clear in his/her mind. Too much time is wasted on pointless meetings so we could produce the same with a 4 day week. Problem is the culture in most places of work is not exactly saying "work less".
(100% of 9 votes AGREE)
Digital Rights Management, problem or solution?
Simplerthinks: agree with the others in this discussion. The benefit is solely for the media company. Where's the user value?
(100% of 2 votes AGREE)
Latest comments agreed with
Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology?
cathinks: It's not so much not being able to process or remember information, it's more about using that brain ower towards other means. Focusing the capacities of the brain to perform larger, more complex tasks without having to spend valuable resources on the small things.
(88% of 18 votes AGREE)
Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology?
clothinks: Memory loss or lack of focus is simply a result of the daily overload of information. it's not that humans can't remember, it's that there is just too much to remember and the brain has only a certain capacity to store information.
(92% of 14 votes AGREE)
Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology?
fangthinks: We may be becoming mentally lazier because of technology but we are also bombarded with much more information than ever before. However I`ve always thought that retention of information doesn`t necessarily denote intelligence. Go ask a Tibetan Monk.
Wouldn`t it be worthwile deciding what intelligence actually is?
(86% of 23 votes AGREE)
Expiration dates on products
idesignthinks: Interesting article from wired magazine discusses the buy-die-buy cycle of technology products. It seems if something doesn't change soon, we will have land fills full of obsolete products that are only a few years old. We need to find a way to either mae products last longer or make them completely disposable and environementally friendly at the same time.
(100% of 6 votes AGREE)
Expiration dates on products
awakenedthinks: An expiration date? I guess it depends how this would be marketed. And of course, how the standards would be set. I mean, think of products that would be released with a shorter lifespan and a much lower price. The products wouldn't be "faulty" but have a certain lifespan, so the world couldn't complain to the company. Think of the environmental impact this would have. Tons of "short lifespan" products sitting in dump sites. I think a more proper idea would be standards in the lifespan of products, and whether the product meets or not those standards.
An example to consider is the PS2 laser assembly which broke down after about 3-4 years of usage, a period unacceptable to me, mainly because of the initial price tag of the device. Plus, the fact that around the same period PS2's started breaking down, the next version, pstwo, the slimmed down version of PS2 showed up ready to replace the older units, while doing the exact same job! That's just recycling your own product with malfunction as an excuse!
(85% of 7 votes AGREE)
Latest comments disagreed with
Are people becoming less intelligent because of technology?
JBonninthinks: If we are becoming lazier due to technology, this is a side effect.
The side effect is of course dangerous. But it is dangerous to a group only. That group to which it is still a new, rather strange thing.
On the long run, technology is always an expansion of horizons, offering new tools and channels. I do believe that we, as species, will not become dumber due to technology, but exploit the possibilities that it offers.
(88% of 18 votes AGREE)
Expiration dates on products
Champthinks: Does this mean that the product will cost more due to the research involved in determining the end of life date? No thanks. I can decide that for myself.
(88% of 9 votes AGREE)
The beauty of pressing buttons
chrisekthinks: I like automated services. I don't like waiting to hear my options. For some reason the one I want is always at the end of the list making me wait through half a dozen other options. I also don't like being caught in an endless loop when you can't find an option that relates to your problem and a operator option is not available. That's just bad customer service. Maybe automated services should be saved for simple routine tasks and leave the major issues for a person to resolve.
(42% of 7 votes AGREE)
How can innovative ideas help the poorest.
chrisekthinks: It isn't hard to ship a water pump to Africa to ensure a village has clean drinking water. It isn't difficult to teach people and give them basic tools to help them survive and thrive. Those that are less fortunate need to be taught to care for their own, not just given the things they need. They need to be able to sustain themselves rather than rely on outsiders for survival.
(75% of 12 votes AGREE)
How to avoid complexity stealing your energy?
chloe10thinks: simplify, simplify, simplify.....the less material clutter you have to worry about the quicker you can act on your cognition therefore 1 credit card for everything , the same suits for work in the same colour scheme, do not iron!,protien shakes & bars for most meals and then an occasional dinner out for a treat, start up your own company and take a taxi everywhere instead of driving, and charge the fares to your business expenses...think about essentials rather than consumer trends
(40% of 5 votes AGREE)
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