What are the Most Dangerous Technologies, and Why?

I like that one, and would like to add number 11. Nanotechnology. Even though I don't know if it is dangerous. Just kind of freaks me out.

Alcohol and the knife (or gun if you are in the USA) ... the automobile and the burger.

It's not so much the technology as the proliferation.

I'm unlikely to get killed by a crossbow, a nuclear weapon or a HE round.
I'm not even worried about being molested by nymphomaniacs

Del

10000 years ago, there once was a big man, who like all other men was very aggressive. He discovered his own fists, and used them to become king. He was a mean king. Then one day a smart man discovered a stone, and although he was tiny compared to the big man, he was able to defeat the big man, and become the next mean king.

Soon after there was a frightened boy- terrified of the king, the boy worked for years and eventually developed a sling shot, He was able to beat the king, and become the next king. He was still a child and did not have the aggression of his elders, so he was content just being king and playing all day. His weapon was the most powerful for many many years, and his kingdom was never threatened.

Today man's aggression has not changed, and the role of weapons, has not either.

Do not fear the power of weapons, rather fear not having the most powerful on your side. After all, when it comes to humans any weapon can start a war, but only the most powerful weapons can be used to prevent (or end) them.

My dangerous tech list:

1. Diebold voting machines

2. mammal cloning

3. anything 'Green'

The first agrarians invented and fought the first wars... What the hell is in them string beans, anyway?!

Every thing man does without respect for nature and mankind.

What me worry?

The potential danger of any technology needs to offset against its usefulness. Just about everything is potentially harmful ( fresh running water in the bathroom - risk of drowning infants, ample food - risk of obesity, electric lights - potential cause of eyestrain, sound recording technology - rap music, etc). ffeJ

Fortunately we have the internet today to research the truth from many different angles. We have recently seen how fragile our access is to it however, with the oceanic cables that were cut. Also the controls that China has on internet access. I wonder how hard it would be to shut down all but the hardened computers in this country and around the world. I have heard of the "silent kill" where a certain kind of bomb is used to shut down all but hardened telecommunications and computers, "frying them".

When I do Google searches, and others, I wonder just who is controlling what comes up. I do not seem to be getting what I should in many cases. I am speaking of politics and world affairs, but it happens with all the advertising too. Does anyone else get that feeling? I am on the suspicious side. Same with mass media of course.

The big mind control seems to be in the advertising area, where we are conditoned to think that we need a new vehicle every few years, and that it must have far more power than we will ever need, and , " when I turn it on, does it return the favor". Of course politics and government use advertising as well, for all their purposes. Ask yourself how the media and advertising are trying to control you. We need to de-hypnotize ourself, to set ourself free from the media and advertising.

I hear what you are trying to say however,

When one ventures out on to the internet one should have some kind of an ideal of what should be returned.

There again projected BS in can equal BS out not to mention, many have thoughts and not always fully applied.

As for Politics and or politicians, again these are normally areas occupied by those with more capita than that needed to survive besides getting more media support than required to push more BS on those that are, truly responsible for permitting this world to turn and yet generally the ones suffering!

I agree with advertising being apart although again capita, "MONEY," is responsible and then there is ignorances or trying to keep up.

I guess you could say, although it is not a technology, My fear is, "A bad mindset having to much money and time!"

And for the first 50 people that respond right now, you'll receive a free bottle of Anti-Hypnotize!!! That's a $29.99 value absolutely free for the first 50 callers. Hurry now! Operators are standing by!!!

I fully agree!!!

And I believe our media and some of our educational providers are some of the major offenders, not to mention those that make or have way more capita than needed to survive.

Be careful with "way more capital than needed to survive". I am, by most people's standards, a poor man, by choice. Yet, I still have WAY more than I need to survive, having proven this by surviving a minimal resource experience. I know I can live on less, but do I want to?

"Heaven forbid should mass communication ever fall into the hands of the uninformed or the sociopaths...."

Uh? Oh! You try to make funny, right?

Such as Al Gore's global warming? The earth goes through cyclical climate changes. Yes, much of what man produces is ill effects on the environment (polluted water, air, etc.) but to say that we are solely responsible for the earth's climate change is just assinine. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for less pollutants, and greater efficiency, but some of this propaganda is straight out scare tactics to get people to vote one way, or buy someone else's product.

I agree. I am not a fan of the "green" push. I like working with lead in my solder. i don't need someone to tell me to not eat it.

Hi all,

I'm sorry but I'm not worried about technologies.

From ancient times technologies have made the humankind to go ahead. Does anybody damn Near East peoples for making possible to get iron knives about 1500 B.C.?

Knives are a very dangerous item, just take a look to any newspaper any day. How many people have died from ancient times "by the sword".

Must we cut our well done steak with a fork or a spoon? Or must we declare surgeons out of law because of Jack "The ripper"

The real problem is not due to technologies themselves, but the stupidity of people who makes a misuse of them. Of course anybody could claim that old: "If something could be evil used, it shall be used so"

But the problem perhaps is that occidental society has focused too much on technologies forgetting mind education and this tendency is increasing.

We don't need be afraid of technologies, we must try to get at least the same level is social progress.

Nuclear, chemical , and biological warfare have the potential to get away from us in a way that a knife or gun cannot. As our technology becomes more powerful, and omnipresent, it becomes easier for a small group or group of maniacs, or careless scientists to dramatically alter the course of history. Hitler, Mao, and Stalin killed many millions. Putin could kill a billion in one week, and technology is getting "better".

Of course, but none of those tyrannies you've mentioned killed so many people using high technologies. I'm sure they could have kill the same people with less sophisticated means. (One missing: In percentage of population the first should be Pol Pot)

And yourself are given me the reason: You've mention Putin and not Bush, so... It's people dependant?

Nobody could negate the benefits of transportation technology advances, but do you know how many people have died in traffic accidents from the invention of automobile. Surely much more than Jews killed by the Hitler regime.

The question is the same again: education of people to give an adequate use of technology.

Technology itself is only dangerous when create and use it in improper ways ie. wars and destruction. Although artificial intellegence would be my greatest fear.

I also agree with ronwagn first nation countrys have been for years developing new germs especially the russians since the start of the cold war. Whos to say an ourbreak couldnt happen tomorrow. Imagine what the world would have been like if hitler had todays technology.

Sorry, but you give me the reason too. The are saying problem is not the technology, just if someone like Hitler reaches it. So we must try to avoid people like Hitler getting the absolute power.

How? Do not forget that he got to power in a legal way!

In a way all of you confirm what i wrote: if basic rules are not respected any thing can be a danger and the most basic rules are respect environment and human kind.

This can be reached ONLY by education which automatically leads to tolerance and understanding. Todays problem is intolerance which ever type it is and fanaticism both can become milder by education.

Not the technology itself is dangerous but what we make with its help. No body would be happy to live again in caves but it will be the future if we do not change.

How? Do not forget that he got to power in a legal way!

Yes, but the power was given to him by other people, not by technology.

I think we agree on the basic problem and the solution (very difficult to achieve, of course)

And one more point to take into account: What you call "basic rules" but I prefer to call "ethics". "Legal" isn't synonymous of "ethic" or "right". If you look to the third world you can find a lot of examples of "legal things" that put my hair like spikes. I don't see differences in the clitoris ablation by an old woman with a shaving blade or by a surgeon in an hospital with all the most advanced technology.

Some years ago, in the beginning of our "democratic" system, anarchists used to make graffiti with the phrase: A billion flies cannot be wrong, they eat shit!!

A refernece to "ethics" always makes me nervous. What are the rules of ethics, and how is it any particular technology per se violates basic ethical concepts? The way the term is bandied about today, ethics seems to mean, "anything I damned well care to say it means", or, if it ain't illegal, it must be unethical...

I think all of these ideas are good but the one that has been repeated but not stated is "misinformation" All these weapons or hazards are real they will always be with us. A person can be reasoned with, people can be rational, but the public as i very hard animal to control. All of the items listed can be used for peace and progress, throw panic and no information into a situation you have a problem. I will now retreat to my fortress of solitude and wait on the replies.

My biggest technological fear is in the not knowing. A.I. and conspiracy to create a "one world" government that will reduce the average human into cattle; to be prodded and manipulated into doing the will of the almighty ruler. King Bush comes to mind. Wonder if he could pull it off? Tri-lateral commission?

I would add the general apathy that seems to be growing in the US, if not the entire world. Another way to say it would be peoples' unwillingness to take on any responsibility. Maybe I am just now becoming aware of it and it has always been there, but I am shocked at how few people actually care about anything besides themselves these days.

A good example for me is the current election race here in the US, the primary cycle is in full swing and for the first time in a long time, there is actually a choice between different candidates for both parties. My wife's entire family didn't vote in their state's primary, Republican or Democrat, because they would have had to drive to the town next door. Another example would be the people that stepped over that woman who had been stabbed in the gas station and didn't call 911 or try to help her. Somebody even took a picture of her with their cell phone. That is inexcusable.

Not really a technology, but some of the others haven't been either, and I think this represents a large threat.

Lawyers. Lawyers worry me the most, and they may be the end of the world as we know it. Especially as they morph into politicians...

I fear no technologies, however I constantly fear paranoia.

No technology worries me, only the people that control them and their lack of technical education AND ethics AND morals.

With power comes responsibility. Some people are not responsible.

Others use the threat of this irresponsible possibility to control the masses. This can be for good or bad but mostly irresponsible.

We teach right and wrong about as well as we do how gravity works. So who is right?

A bucket of water can save your live or be used for water boarding torture. A gun can put food on the table, stop a crime, or send a distress signal. It is not the Technology that is the issue but how individuals use it.

Brad

Basically you are saying that human nature is the biggest factor. How we use technology, or a club. Of course a club, and fire were two of the first technologies. Then the wheel etc. I think that is a separate issue from the one I proposed, but it ties in to the social controls of government. War mongering, chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Now we have non lethal weapons such as directed microwaves that can inflict severe pain without actually cooking you, and many other such things in the works. We also have figured out how to put voices into your head from a distance. I would appreciate any additions others might have. We have all seen how they used loud music to keep the Waco, Texas and other groups on edge. CS gas, pepper spray, stun guns etc.

As a psychiatric RN I use injections to protect staff and other patients, and patients from themselves. We try not to do that, but if people are violent, it is impossible to avoid. The communists are well known for using psychotropic meds. to make their internal dissenters look bad and to "reprogram" their minds. Of course they use torture too.

If government is a technology, then I think that its controlling of the individual would be one of the ones to be most fearful of. Especially when we are working through most of May to pay taxes to support it. By the way, don't ever go to an emergency room with depression or any mental questions unless you are prepared to be admitted against your will, and spend a couple of weeks running up a huge hospital bill. Try your general practitioner, a counselor or psychiatrist first. Better yet, read the works of Albert Ellis on your own. His therapy is called Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, REBT for short. Do a search. Sorry for the digression.

Sorry for the digression.

Good information. No apology needed.

What is your opinion on thermisol?

Just don't ask my opinion on Sigmund Freoid. I'll digress.

Brad

No... I think it happened more like the wheel, then the club, then the carjacking, then came fire!

But I gotta tell ya, have you heard about these new things called rocks?! Real scary, and they're everywhere!!! People can just pick 'em up and bash in each other's brains! They even have an organization for people that like using rocks! It's called the NRA (National Rock Association)!!!

Actually, I think we're in a race with ourselves: what gets bigger first - the size of our intelligence or our innate animal instinct toward want and ignorance.

Them last two will gettcha!!!

XX. Emotionally charged, hyperactive, environmentalism... which doesn't have the brains to think through the half baked schemes it come up with. At least we at CR4 look beyond the tips of our noses.

Hi,

most dangerous personally:

1. my home is more dangerous than any other place, the count of accidents is much higher than anywhere else!

2. daily traffic regardless if by feet, bicycles or car: how many dead and injured per year?

3. ordinary illness : more deadly than other causes.

most dangerous for the society:

1.human society will be efficient to destroy the basic necessities

2. urban societies never succeeded in preserving strength and genetic quality

3. modern TV and game-consoles: the result will be men that can only play highly unrealistic games: a new type of addiction much more dangerous than drugs.

RHABE

Fear not technology!

Fear RELIGION!

For religion will dictate how technology is used!

Fear RELIGION!

For religion will dictate how technology is used!

A little too hard, don't you?

Please, religion is not necessarily synonymous of fanaticism.

Do you really think (as a small example) that Mother Theresa of Calcutta was really dangerous to the people she help?

Few months ago there was a celebration in Calcutta by the anniversary of her death.

The local government, even it's not catholic, were present and actively participated.

I'm Spanish and catholic but I recognise that we were occupied by Muslims for about 8 centuries, and in the most glorious period (when Cordoba was the most important european city) in which all three religions present (Christians, Muslims and Jews) pray in the same temple.

Do you know really in quantity what are the most helping Non Governmental Organisations: Read a little ---> Christian Churches

The problem again is not the technology nor the religion: Is the human stupidity

All technologies that produce weapons of mass destruction Nuclear or Biological need to be outlawed forcibly from all arsenals public, or private. Nuclear Biological or Chemical Weapons have lost whatever utility they might have had during the Cold War, when we lived in an era of the Bi Polar Power Balance. Weapons of Mass Destruction represent an unfair threat to the common working classes who deserve to be protected from nationalists ideologues, or religious fanatics, not to mention the powerful and insane.

Fear is your friend. Fear Weapons of Mass Destruction as you fear the cold, or the heat or the high winds and floods.

Recognize that you have the power to rid yourself of the threat posed by your own invention, different from your power over the Cold or the Heat or the Wind.

Fight against the technology of Weapons of Mass Destruction every chance you get.

The Japanese outlawed firearms from the 13 hundreds to the 15 hundreds, so there is some precedent in the past for the rejection of powerful technology.

Civilization is good, and it depends on excess energy. Work at creating more energy than you really need.

Weapons of Mass Destruction are the biggest worry and threat because the use of them could extinquish our species before our time.