The Luddite Teens and the 3rd Law of Physics
It is undeniable the human race has seen a series of technological progressions develop at an exponential pace over the last few centuries, and it has come to a culmination in the form of the Luddite teen. This is the vertex of the parabola, a turning point.
In the 19th century, Ned Ludd (pictured above…that fit tho) led a radical faction of weavers that opposed the development of textile machinery for obvious reasons. A couple centuries later and the machine no longer just steals our jobs, but has snuck into mostly every lasting facet of life. The machine has perpetuated itself so far that its goals have become to create a reality of its own (Yeah you, Zuck) … Because of this I consider this period of time in which we find ourselves to be a climax of sorts. Or one of the first very significant climaxes in an inevitable (I hope?) series of climaxes.
This degree of technological power in which we currently find ourselves, as Ned did , is/was both undeniable and inevitable, and we are currently enduring the primitive stages of what these developments are to bring, at X = 0. I’m not sure what Y is in this case. Regardless. The time has come where we are finally beginning to see retaliation in response to the most extreme perversions technology has had on our lives so far.
The New York Times article from Dec. 15th of last year eased much of my suffering. It has given me insight into the potential of future generations to rise up against the machine. It has given me the counteractive hope to my previous melancholic doom regarding the ability of humanity to realize its power over harmful technological “progresses” we have seen as of late. I assume in a holistic sense any forward movement is technically “progress” but it has been painful to watch.
These Luddite teens are denying the false friendliness of social media and its disguised domination over their lives, and I commend them for it. I don’t care that they are clearly white passing and privileged as all get out. I attribute their actions to their likely education level that comes along with their socioeconomic standing. The majority of high schoolers do not know or care who Boethius was nor would they willingly read Maus II. Nor should they in my personal opinion. Im not sure what’s in the water in Brooklyn. These kids are undoubtedly outliers but they are defining an issue that otherwise affects the entirety of today’s American youth.
The 3rd law of physics states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This can be seen manifesting physically on a very straightforward level within this Luddite teen movement. As someone born into the oldest groups of Gen Z, this is what I expected from my fellow Gen Z-ers. I only hope this philosophy gains traction and doesn’t die out. As long as the machine continues to exert its influence, I don’t think it will though, according the this law. This is our new project.
At the end of the day this becomes a responsibility of humanity to realize its own suffering as a result of technological influence. We must acknowledge what the machine takes from us subconsciously (or very obviously) while it parades as a positive change, an advancement. Are you hopeful of this? Am I?
I am not: anti-tech. Though that has a nice ring to it, I am well aware of the need for balance between romantic and utilitarian thinking. Clearly I tend towards the former. But only because everyone else is under a spell of utilitarianism (the 3rd law again)… I am: pro conscious-tech. I am pro using tech for our advantage rather that the other way around.