Technology In Aldous Huxley's Ends And Means

Aldous Huxley, in his novel Ends and Means, wrote that “technological progress has merely provided us with the means for going backwards”.
Huxley, in his defense, did not have at his disposal the vast technological advancements available to us today. Technology, or scientific advancement, was first born when our early ancestors first thought of a better way to do something fundamental by thinking it through and applying his knowledge garnered to observation and experience. Whether it was how to start a fire, or carve out a better wooden wheel, or making a better mousetrap, man has been innovating with creativity since the dawn of time. In the early days of civilization, man used their technology for the benefit of the society as a whole. In …show more content…
But what about the negative aspects of it? Well, any form of technology advancement has undesirable impact on Man. If we look into the past, the invention of steam engine and industrialization has led to pollution and deforestation. In the modern digital era, the ease of communication has, in some cases, led man to communicate remotely that lacks the warmth of speaking face to face. Technology has resulted in a generation that with short attention span, lacking in social skills such has holding an interesting, real conversation. Behind a mask of online anonymity, many have become rude and bigoted, as no one can truly know who you are. Plus in some ways, technology also has had the undesirable effect of stifling creativity as it is all too easy to copy the works of others and pass it off as your own. No one wants to be original and creative any more, since it is so much easier to plagiarize.

So, in conclusion, has man’s dependence on technology have had a beneficial effect on creativity and communication? The answer, in my view, is still a resounding yes. We can recognize the detrimental effects, but it is entirely up to the individual to make a choice, whether to use technology to improve yourself and for the betterment of mankind, or be trapped in the negative aspects that come along with it. This is a choice everyone makes every day, as every day we discover new