https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/22/regular-body-upgrades-what-will-humans-look-like-in-100-years writes about a bionic future.
But what happens if bionic upgrades cost six million dollars and only a few people can afford that?
Bionic upgrades will do nothing but widen the gap between the well-off and poor to an infinitely larger magnitude than already exists. It will be biologically impossible for the poor to close the achievement gap.
As a historian, I am a complete techno-pessimist. Over the last several decades, almost every technological and economic leap has been used to widen the gap, not close it.
People in the US are dying from lack of insulin. I have no faith in new technology produced in our capitalist system being used to will be used to better the lives of the masses instead of the well-off.
Personal computing, internet, smartphones, etc. are definitely in the hands of the masses, and have closed gaps in information access and helped equalize opportunities in many ways.
The first bionic legs may cost millions, but once robots are mass producing them and fitting them, they may cost no more than a nice TV.
I’ve heard this same thing for decades and it’s 100% wrong. For example, when PCs came out in the early 1980s they were expensive. Only the rich could have them. Oh no, the gap is widening and the poor will be left behind! Well, the “rich” money poured into PC technology, people/companies formed to serve that demand, that led to better manufacturing processes and now billions of people are walking around with PCs in their hands (and they’re at least 1000X more powerful than the “rich” PCs in the early 1980s). And the original PCs were a huge break from the ultra-expensive mainframes and minicomputers that came before them. Same thing could be said about almost any innovation in the last 200 years (toilets, dishwashers, trains, cars, airplanes, etc.).
Manufacturing bionic devices may very well get cheaper. But would installing the devices onto a person who wants them be more like medicine, which requires expensive human labor and resists getting cheaper?
Robots will be more competent than any human surgeon. Especially robots designed and built by other robots …
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/25/the-bleeding-edge-netflix-documentary-medical-devices
This was a must see netflix for anyone considering surgery. The way these devices are introduced into the market is terrifying. Must see telly for anyone.
Also disagree with post # 1’s assessment of technology. Cell phone usage in India has blossomed, despite economic status as just one example.
I do not see the 100 year prediction for bionics, however. With resources and climate changes I wonder what our world will look like- I feel we are in a Golden Age that may end well before then.
Wow—so scary! Medical devices are everywhere—sad & terrifying how little testing and oversight there is!
Zdoggmd has a very interesting YouTube video blog about “Bleeding Edge.” I don’t know if I’m allowed to link to it, but I found it interesting as one review of the documentary. I’d recommend the YouTube review blog.
I am part bionic so I am for it.
Let me be clear: as a physical being with lupus and RA, a bionic future would be absolutely incredible for me.
I am 100% sticking by my assertion though that it would exacerbate the poverty gap to an insurmountable level.
People much smarter than I am have written extensively about this in STS books & articles.