Technological change is inevitable, I get that. Its ending the CD format, its ending what we know as laptops slowly, and thanks to Google, is on the verge of ending human driving.

Lets think for a minute. What if technology began ruling our lives? Began taking away everything we liked and replaced it with what was supposed to be more convienient but only became more complex? I am scared the robot driving will become a reality. Its been reported about in Motor Trend and more and more people are agreeing it would be a better thing. But just like liberty, the genuine feeling of getting behind the wheel cannot be replaced by microchips and programming.

What you saw on the Jetsons was meant to stay on the Jetsons.
So will technology go overboard trying to please us and will it become more of a enemy and less of a ally?

The Amish have the right idea.

Technology is sort of like guns. It can be used responsibly, or abused.

Aside from my computer, I pretty much stay out of the loop. I also drive older cars, and would be fine with manual roll up windows.

I worry about what our government will end up doing with technology, if they aren't already using it for nefarious purposes.

I think our biggest concern should be; as technology gets smarter, people get dumber and more dependent. It would be wise for people not to forget how to do things without all of the gadgetry, although it's probably already too late for that.

If and when one of these occurs, it will throw the entire planet into, (electronic), blindness and chaos, including governments. It won't be pretty.

http://www.slashgear.com/scientists-warn-massive-solar-flare-could-harm-power-grid-and-satellites-06241821/

Well lets think, in vehicles cars already come with options to parallel park themselves and can detect blind spots themselves, two important things people once had to know and do (and should continue to do). But people becoming two dependent on technology is becoming more and more of a reality.

Certainly true for a bulk of the population.  I wonder if there is a group that goes the other way?  The people creating and maintaining the ever more complex tech?  Will it lead to a wide societal gap in ability?

Or does increased productivity give people more and more free time to keep up?

Interesting, I find increased productivity give people more money for there dollar.   Free time you have to make for yourself.  Even after being retired for 10 years I find I have to make some free time.

You just reminded me of the guy who called in sick to work yesterday because his garage door froze, wouldn't open and he had to call someone to fix it.

You just reminded me of the guy who called in sick to work yesterday because his garage door froze, wouldn't open and he had to call someone to fix it.

I had a young man call me and say he would not be into work as his dog had eaten his keys.   I ask if the dog had eaten both sets?  He said yes!   LOL 

As a musician I find it sad technology is taking the studios away from us musicians as well as CDs since those were once a great source of revenue other than touring. If I could go back in time and tell people to oppose these download services such as amazon mp3, napster and itunes at all costs, CDs could still be strong today although I hear rumors vinyls may come back.

The Chevy Spark si a example of how CDs are going in the way of the dinoseurs. It doesnt have a CD player, and only streams music from a sd card or mp3 player. While I'm one for auxilary, I dont want manufactuers to get rid of CD players. They think Pandora and Sirius (although I like Sirius) is what will suffice consumers pfft.

I love CD's. You bring up a good point.

I've got photo albums that were passed down to me. My parent's wedding, us as kids, family vacations........you name it.

Now I have 3000 pics on my computer that I never look at.

Check this out  kramarat


Study: Digital information can be stored in DNA


http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-science/20130126/US.SCI.DNA.Data/

Wow!!! That's very cool and very damned scary at the same time.