What Will Technology Bring, Star Trek, Wall-E, or the Matrix?

Technology has changed our life's in a more profound way than anyone could have ever imagined. But when we think about the way technology will change our lives in the future, their is no clear consensus on what will happen. For the purpose of discussion we will examine three different science fictions and compare what they mean for our societal perspective on our future from technology.

The first future to examine is the one displayed in Star Trek. In Star Trek technology betters humanity, it increases our ethical responsibility and betters the human condition. Monetary systems are abandoned, and we become focused only on bettering each others lives, we obtain a commitment to the attainment of a state of bliss and self actualization for all sentient life. Here, Borg not pertaining, we are in control of our technology, we use it as a tool, keeping the essence of our humanity.

Next let's examine the future of humanity portrayed in Wall-E. Here humanity has become dependent on technology, while it is still obedient to an extent, and does not harvest us for it's benefit, we are entirely dependent on it. Our reading brain fully breaks down, as does the new brain we are developing. Our dependency leaves us ignorant, large, and unable to think or provide for ourselves. Here technology is not tool of humanity as it was in Star Trek, here it is a babysitter of humanity, providing for a species, a shell of it's former self, whom can no longer provide for itself.

The final possible future from technology I wish to examine is the one portrayed in the Matrix. Here technology is not our tool, not our babysitter, here we are it's sheep, and it herds us only to prepare us for the slaughter. This is the success of the Borg, this is the upheaval of the machines, now we are simply biological material used to fuel machines like we would use fossil fuel. This is the epitaph of technological progress, as technology can continue to progress independently from humanity, a constant betterment, a new perfect species per-say.

So what does the future bring, how will we view technology going into the future? Will it be our tool, babysitter, or Sheppard. Signs are coming out that it will serve as a combination, one part tool, one part babysitter. As our lives are getting easier, our humanity is increasing, as is our dependency on technology, and out waste-lines. From my perspective, Star Trek looks as if it is the most likely occurance, but Captain Kirk and the Enterprise Crew all need about an additional 30-50lbs.