It seems that when companies and the like roll out the latest technology in the spirit of “making our lives easier” (or as I cynically view it, devising a much easier way for the benjamin’s to flow from your fingertips to theirs) we are all early adopters. There is a tangible universal core belief that when something “high-tech” is introduced to consumers then it must be better for us. That ideology is ironic when you consider that we sometimes label items as “high-tech” because we lack full understanding of how the technology operates, yet we are all so willing to embrace it.
Technology can be a truly miraculous thing. Technology advances in medicine saves lives. Nothing is more substantive than that. And the technology meant to do that-when life and death are at stake-probably do go through much more rigorous testing than those technologies meant for financial transactions and the like. But, shouldn’t we understand how all technology works before it is placed out for public use and consumption?
We as 21st century consumers expect the latest and greatest technology to flow into our lives at rapid speed. We almost enjoy our technology for a minute-then we catch a glimpse of what is coming out that is supposedly better. We’ve grown accustomed to being served in this way. The comedian Louis CK comes to mind when he talks about people flying on planes and all of the complaining that goes along with it these days.
Even in the movies, which are intrinsically technical, there tends to be a friendly nature that is generally portrayed of machines. Short Circuit, or more recently the Disney movie “Wall-E”, come to mind. Technology is humanlike and our friend-so they tell us. Maybe that’s why we trust it.
Yet, it seems that technology is so rapidly infiltrating our livelihood, it is so accepted by us (or has no choice to be)-but the technology itself, is so fleeting. There is always something better around the corner.
At this pace, one thing is clear. The technology that is being utilized by companies, organizations, and the like is not tested before placed out to market. We basically invite crime with our advertised blatant lack of understanding of the technology that is put forth. These entities need to make the investment in order to protect its users. And, consumers need to demand these terms. We allow all of our personal information to be mishandled and at worst stolen, time and time again, and we will still come back and will buy from you, obtain services from you-we’ll even thank you and give you a smile. We have sheepishly accepted these haphazard and completely unacceptable terms to be status quo, maybe because we believe that is the price we are paying to afford this type of modern convenience during our lifetime.
The price of identity theft is not worth any luxury.