"Just think what technology has done for the world in the last 100 years . . . and if anything the pace of tech development is INCREASING . . . ."
It may be a little glib of me, but I'm not quite so openly welcoming of technology for technology's sake, (neither am I a luddite, I just abhor technology creating a problem/vaccuum (for fiscal profit) instead of solving a problem. It puts me in mind of a simple but powerful parable:
An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican
village where a small boat with just one fisherman was docked. Inside
the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American
complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it
took to catch them.
The Mexican replied only a little while.
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more
fish?
The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.
The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time?
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with
my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village
each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard M.B.A. and could help you. You
should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat
with
the proceeds. From the bigger boat you could buy several boats and
eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling
your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor,
eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product,
processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small
coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually
NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
But what then, senor?
The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is
right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the
public and become very rich, you would make millions.
Millions, senor? Then what?
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal
fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with
your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the
evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
