We are attracted to simpler technologies because they do not challenge our identity, whereas every new technology — from robots to gene therapy to social media — nibbles away at our sense of self and forces us to keep re-deciding what a human is, which is scarier but ultimately more attractive to most people than the fixed identity offered by the Amish-like path.

causalpending

Speaker

Kevin Kelly

Evidence Quote

all these new technologies are kind of reinforcing the fact that we're still inventing ourselves we're still deciding and we're still having to to decide what we want humans to be and I think that's a lot scarier but in the end probably more attractive

Source

Kevin Kelly on Technology and What Technology Wants 11/29/2010EconTalk
Created: 6/17/2026, 10:09:26 AM

My Notes

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