About

The Technoskeptical Concept

Being technoskeptical doesn't mean rejecting technology; it means being aware of the ways in which our technological society affects us.

In 1973, Ivan Illich suggested that the tools we build can either enable institutional oppression, or aid personal freedom and creativity.

In the era of AI, that dichotomy is more stark than ever. These incredible platforms can serve as force multipliers, accomplishing tedious or difficult tasks in the blink of an eye; or they can serve as prosthetic brains to which we outsource our emotional regulation, creative aspirations, and mental processes ... and on which, by doing so, we become dependent.

Ultimately, the technoskeptical mindset is one of optimism. Yes, our societies contain systems and products that harm us and which we cannot control; but we also have the ability to raise our awareness of the mechanisms in play, and the freedom to disengage from many of them. More importantly, as thinkers from Seneca to Viktor Frankl have observed, we have the freedom to choose our attitude, regardless of our circumstances.

What I Believe

• Eros over Thanatos.

  Freud said a lot of strange things that have not aged well. But on one point, he was dead on: human nature is motivated by two fundamental drives - Eros, the instinct to connect and create; and Thanatos, the instinct to destroy and dominate. Eros brings us together and promotes life. Thanatos separates us and ultimately leads toward death. Living consciously in the world means intentionally choosing Eros over Thanatos.

• Tools should serve people.

  Ivan Illich called tools "convivial" when they expanded human freedom and "counterproductive" when they replaced the skills and relationships they were meant to support. Most of our current tools have passed the point of counter-productivity. Using technological tools in a healthy way means being aware of their inherent nature, and of the consequences that result from the way we use them.

• Attention is the essence of life.

  The attention economy spawned by the Information Revolution turned human awareness into a commodity that can be measured by clicks, views, and engagement time. We speak of "paying attention," but we often forget to consider what we're buying when we do. All too often, it's nothing more than diversion. What's being diverted is our irreplaceable time and energy, and where it's being diverted is away from what's meaningful to us and toward what's profitable for someone else.

• Newer is not necessarily better.

  Many of the questions we grapple with today have been considered for millennia. Starting from scratch is a fool's errand. That's why it's vital to learn from the great thinkers of the past, applying their lessons and heeding their warnings whenever possible.

• No algorithm. No pressure.

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