I think we have this idea that we need to be "morally prepared" for new technologies, but in fact we never are. Instead, we invent new stuff, and then our morality and society figures out ways to cope with - and hopefully leverage - the new stuff.
Were we morally prepared for nuclear technology? No. Instead, we invented it, then we applied our old morality to it - "Drop it on people's heads! Kill!!". THEN, after we realized that was bad, we developed a new morality (though not everyone follows it).
Were we morally prepared for Twitter? No. It's filled with constant insults, anonymous death threats, etc.
But encouragingly, through #MeToo etc., we're using it to help society become more moral in ways that were previously very difficult or impossible.
But encouragingly, through #MeToo etc., we're using it to help society become more moral in ways that were previously very difficult or impossible.
The idea that we can morally perfect ourselves BEFORE we invent new technologies seems like a fantasy to me. "Fix our problems here on Earth before we explore space!", etc. etc. It doesn't work like that. It can't.
Instead, we need to focus on leveraging new technologies to become more moral as a society. As we've leveraged social media for #MeToo, as we've leveraged industrial technology to feed, clothe, and house much of the world.
Putting energy into slowing the progress of technology in order to give us time to become more moral won't work. It's a waste of energy. Instead, use that energy figuring out how to use the new technology to advance the cause of morality.
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