From Technology to Relationship
"The Technology Age" . . . I'm not sure how much longer it will last. I think we are on a crash-course to "The Relationship Age". The Relationship Age is much more inclusive than the Technology Age. To be a part of the Technology Age you have to have, well, technology that is progressing at exponential rates. That's a pretty exclusive group. During the Technology Age things like Colonization, Fragmentation of Community and the Space Race can come to the fore. The use of Technology could become the abuse of Technology.
I see some good coming from the Technology Age - the Relationship Age blossoming out of the Technology Age. The "shrinking globe", transportation, electronic communications, etc. are playing a key role in this emerging age. I see people under the age of 30 from all over the world engaging one another in conversations - relationship building.
The Relationship Age is far less exclusive than the Technology Age. This is NOT to say that all persons will treat relationships on an equal plane. There will still be oppressors, evil, war and pestilence.
I do have a major concern. In America we have already begun to commoditize relationships. (How many self-help talk shows does one country really need?) It seems that people are already figuring out ways to extract (or is it extort) money by selling "relationship". My fear is that in doing so we will ostracize ourselves from the rest of the human family.
Perhaps my real complaint is with consumerism. I'm tired of seeing things "consumed" - knowledge during the Age of Enlightenment; workers during the Industrial Age; power during the Technology Age. What will be consumed during the Age of Relationships? What is at the core of Relationships? Would we really be better of if that were consumed? Perhaps we should look at a way to supply the Age of Relationships instead of consume it.
Supplying the Relationship Age. All it takes is the ability to have a relationship. Just BE in a relationship. Don't buy it, sell it, market it, or consume it. Just BE.
I see some good coming from the Technology Age - the Relationship Age blossoming out of the Technology Age. The "shrinking globe", transportation, electronic communications, etc. are playing a key role in this emerging age. I see people under the age of 30 from all over the world engaging one another in conversations - relationship building.
The Relationship Age is far less exclusive than the Technology Age. This is NOT to say that all persons will treat relationships on an equal plane. There will still be oppressors, evil, war and pestilence.
I do have a major concern. In America we have already begun to commoditize relationships. (How many self-help talk shows does one country really need?) It seems that people are already figuring out ways to extract (or is it extort) money by selling "relationship". My fear is that in doing so we will ostracize ourselves from the rest of the human family.
Perhaps my real complaint is with consumerism. I'm tired of seeing things "consumed" - knowledge during the Age of Enlightenment; workers during the Industrial Age; power during the Technology Age. What will be consumed during the Age of Relationships? What is at the core of Relationships? Would we really be better of if that were consumed? Perhaps we should look at a way to supply the Age of Relationships instead of consume it.
Supplying the Relationship Age. All it takes is the ability to have a relationship. Just BE in a relationship. Don't buy it, sell it, market it, or consume it. Just BE.
posted by Sean at 9:07 PM
3 comments
