Technology
"Technology" is a word used casually by everyone as if we know what it means.
We do not.
At a most basic level technology extends the organism.
Even a superficial examination reveals differing interpretations, biases, emotions, political agendas, personal bugbears and neuroses.
Ironically, for all the central role it plays in science and progress, almost nothing objective, verifiable or solid can be claimed about our idea of technology. Our relation to it as humans remains a deep mystery.
But a dangerous situation exists, in that almost all knowledge and discussion about technology happens through digital communications technology, owned and controlled by an ever smaller pool of monopolists, and so through a distorted microscope of vanishingly smaller understanding.
To a good approximation, modern digital technology has become a kind of cult or mass delusional phenomenon. Computing has "jumped the shark", cutting-off from reality and rationality and becoming what Authur C. Clarke warned would be "magic".
Politically speaking, Rational Security Thinking must therefore remain outside this collapsing sphere if it is to retain any hope of perspective for guidance.
Broad Technology Thinking
To better understand the possibility for stability, security and peace within a digital technological society we must delve deeper into:
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- History
- Critique
- Ecology
- Ethics
- Politics
- Organisation
- Conflict
Then we can ask; Whose technology is it? What is it supposed to do? What problem does it solve? Is that really a problem? Whose problem is it? Who benefits? Who loses? Is that fair? Is it serious? What alternatives are there? What unintended side effects are there? Who cares? Why do they care? What will they do? Who pays? Who gets hurt? Can we do it? Who will help?
This is to say, a broad view of digital technology, what it means to us as humans, is needed before we can make good decisions in the field of security. So many "solutions" in digital security are the wrong answer to the wrong question, often clouded by things like:
- Fear, uncertainty, doubt (terror management theory of security)
- Misunderstanding of fundamental factors (logical, technical errors)
- Misjudgements of motive, tolerance, trust relations, value alliances
With a broad appreciation of technology as a human activity, security leverage points can be applied intelligently and in context. With wider study we avoid many pitfalls of security thinking such as;
- being tricked and hooked by snake-oil sellers
- talking ourselves into absurd beliefs and security woo-woo
- building walls of our own prisons
- becoming shills and unpaid salespeople
- becoming mercenaries or enforcers in conflicts we do not understand and have no stake in
- being distracted from the actual things we most love and wish to secure