Technology, the end of mankind - my theory

[RJ 17]

Snip for space.

Fair enough, but I should clarify. By "almost" non-existant, the "almost" accounts for 3rd world countries and areas that do not have the benefit of modern medicine and technology. In such places it is still "only the fittest survive". However, as the topic is specifically about technology's affect on man, for the sake of this discussion places without technology do not count.

I'd disagree there, even in developed countries people still die young, modern technology has come along way, but still fails people occasionally.

They do, but not numbers great enough to be considered Natural Selection in an evolutionary context. I'm not arguing that children aren't born with fatal birth defects that even technology can't prevent, but there's still plenty of children that survive who otherwise wouldn't. Apparently I'm having difficulty explaining my point due to being tired...or maybe I'm just flat-out wrong. Either way it's been a nice discussion but I think I'm about done with it.

 

[BrassButtons]

They do, but not numbers great enough to be considered Natural Selection in an evolutionary context.

It's natural selection any time an organism either passes on its genes or dies before doing so. You don't need large groups dying without reproducing for it to be natural selection.

 

[Soods]

OP should go become an Amish. Though that might interfere with posting pseudo-philosophical nonsense on message boards using the technology they despise so much.

They're way too religious for me. But I have the sideburns ready should I suddenly get a change of heart.

 

[HalfTangible]

What symptoms?

The general drug addiction symptoms, such as increasing need for the drug, and of course the withdrawal symptoms like death or illness.

By that definition, FOOD is a drug.

 

[Soods]

What symptoms?

The general drug addiction symptoms, such as increasing need for the drug, and of course the withdrawal symptoms like death or illness.

By that definition, FOOD is a drug.

I don't think the need for food is growing. Except for kids, but it's understandable since the kids itself are growing aswell.

 

[HalfTangible]

What symptoms?

The general drug addiction symptoms, such as increasing need for the drug, and of course the withdrawal symptoms like death or illness.

By that definition, FOOD is a drug.

I don't think the need for food is growing. Except for kids, but it's understandable since the kids itself are growing aswell.

The need for food increases as you grow older until you reach full maturity, but it never goes away entirely, and if you eat too much, you start to get hungry even when you don't need to eat. Alcohol and many other drugs work similarly: have too much, too often, and you need more to get the same effect, but have it in moderation and you get the same effect each time. So yes, by your definition, food is a drug that just about everything on earth is addicted to. I could even make the case that lust and love are drugs.

But that's unimportant. Death and illness is not caused from withdrawal from technology - we aren't suddenly going to keel over without tech if we can still find food, shelter and clean water, and if our immune systems are strong (which IS possible to do without tech - in fact it should be stronger without it in most cases) then most diseases are a non-issue.

Our increasing reliance on technology comes from the tech becoming more effective and widespread, not from any chemical effect or skinner box technique (ok, MMOs use the latter, but that's a game issue not a tech one)