DEV Community

Discussion on: What have been the broken promises of computer technology?

Collapse
 
shiling profile image
Shi Ling

When I was young, I was so amazed by the Web, because I love books and thought of it as one big infinite library. I thought it would help make people less ignorant and cure stupidity (hey I was a precocious 10 year old!). Oh boy, was I wrong, especially with the Advent of social media and fake news. People are just so addicted to gossipy tales instead of learning about the world.

Collapse
 
jmplourde profile image
Jean-Michel Plourde

I thought we would become a big hive mind able to cure anything, but nope cats and ads...

Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern

On the other hand.... Maybe we are still so new to all of this that this is just a phase?

I mean... maybe?

Thread Thread
 
jmplourde profile image
Jean-Michel Plourde

We need a serious reform on how our data is protected and handled. Right now it's far west and lobbyists make sure it stays like this. In the coming years, data will be the center of our evolution as a human species. We more than need it.

Thread Thread
 
murkrage profile image
Mike Ekkel • Edited

"This is not a phase, dad... this is who I am, this is who I will always be"

-- 14 year old me

Collapse
 
johnfound profile image
johnfound

Well, this infinite library is still here in the web. You simply clicked on the wrong link somewhere. :D

Collapse
 
david_j_eddy profile image
David J Eddy

Truer words, never spoken.

Collapse
 
ben profile image
Ben Halpern

Damn this is way too well said

Collapse
 
briwa profile image
briwa • Edited

In my opinion, I think it was a mistake in the first place to think that internet was supposed to do only good things. It's setting such a high expectation on it, while in fact it doesn't have to, so it's not exactly a broken promise, in my opinion. Just like all technologies, it has the good and the bad. Gotta take both.

Sure, some people are just so addicted to gossipy tales instead of learning about the world, but obviously a lot of people are now less ignorant, especially the younger generations. Compared to pre-internet, I think people nowadays are more self-informed, has easier access to information. Free courses online, free-licensed e-books or Wikipedia (big infinite library like you said). Curing stupidity, of course, I was one of them that got cured! If not for internet, I would've only known things they taught in school and would've not become a web developer.

You're right, though, bringing the awareness of the bad ones is important, but in my opinion, bringing up and cherishing the good ones should also be done equally.

Collapse
 
scotthannen profile image
Scott Hannen

Sorry, my curse is to split hairs. If not for the internet, no one would be a web developer. (But I know what you mean.)

Thread Thread
 
briwa profile image
briwa

Hahhaha, that's a good one, didn't notice that at first 😂

Collapse
 
wutangzakk profile image
Zach

I want to frame this.

Collapse
 
stephanie profile image
Stephanie Handsteiner

Do it, unless you don't have a printer, there's no impediment to hang this up IRL. 😁

Collapse
 
peterwitham profile image
Peter Witham

Yep, there is nothing I can add, you said it all.

They promised us an enlightened future and all we got was bigger close minded planet-sized hate and a digital 1984.

I still have hope that future generations will take it back and forgive us.