During the class discussion on Thursday, I chose to travel back to the 1970’s-1980’s in order to take advantage of the technological boom that occurred between that period and present day. During class, I imagined my time travel as solely self-serving; traveling back to that time period having the knowledge I currently have, I would make millions of dollars and lay the foundation for the future of technological, and societal structures. After I left class, I continued to mull this concept over in my head, wondering how an experience like this could not only alter my life, but the history of humans on the larger scale.
As my thought process matured throughout the day, I recognized technology in a broader sense than medicine and vehicles; I began to consider phones, laptops, and the appendages of the modern man that were once a far-off concept. My voyage back through time could evaluate the correlation between the transformation in human behavior and technological progress. Further more, I could warn people of the dangers associated with the dependence on technology. I could direct an entire generation that is doomed for reliance on devices that provide instant gratification, thereby causing happiness, and also suffering. As an optimist about technology, traveling back into time could enable me to advise the next generation of humans on how to coexist in a peaceful relationship with technology, and avoid the exploitation of one or the other.
As an optimist, I value the incentives of continuing technological progress to enhance health care, transportation, etc., but I also recognize the threats posed by the increasing human dependence on technology and the resulting exploitation of humans that has occurred as a result of technological advancement. As a time traveler, i would have the opportunity of warning against the detachment that the next generation would undergo from their immediate surroundings. Via the influx of handheld, portable devices, children and adults would be constantly attached to another world, a very connected one, but neither tangible nor personal. The sense of instant gratification has created an impatient generation, one I could warn against during my voyage. Furthermore, the technological developments have created a non-social generation; hesitant to engage with others in face-to-face contact, but quick to fire off a quick text across the country.
The final goal of my time travel voyage would be to warn against the lethal combination between technological development and warfare. The development of drone warfare technology, distant missile engagement, along with many other advancements in modern warfare have endangered the corners of our globe more than ever. Therefore, despite my optimistic outlook on the potential for technology to benefit the human race, I am very aware of the negative transformations that have occurred since the 80’s as a result of technological progression. My voyage back in time would slow or halt the negative usages of technology, and at the bare minimum, inform those involved of the repercussions that they will yield on future generations.