Is Science a Curse or Boon?

Is Science a Curse or Boon?

I was in 7^th grade when I was asked in the English Language exam to write an essay on the topic. I was not sure what to write in it but somehow I managed it. The thing was over with the exams. I did not realize the significance of the topic and its effect on our lives. Life moves on and so do we with our daily toils. Recently the catastrophic, the epidemic and the biggest natural disaster on the earth, the tsunami in Japan and consequently the emission of radioactive rays from the nuclear reactors have made me think again on the almost forgotten topic of the 7^th grade English language exam, Is Science a Boon or Curse? My mind ponders and analyzes but still fails to come to a conclusion.

It was indeed the need for a country that is deprived of natural resources to have an alternative way to generate electric power. But when there is catastrophe like this destroys the humanity, then who will be held responsible for the holocaust. This is just an incident which has ignited this issue in my mind. When I look around, in every annals of life, we are trapped and if one brick slips the whole building will be demolished.

The world is changing so dramatically with the advancements of science and technology. Information Technology (IT) captures my mind the most, because it’s the technology we use the most in day to day life and affects the common man to the most. IT revolutionized the entire scenario. Mobile phones, BlackBerry’s, iPhones, iPads etc. are now the essential part of our lives. The invention was the need, the need to be connected, but, the economics involved with it, has made us addicted to it, to the extent that we don’t want to sleep alone. We are sleeping with the whole bunch of people in our contact list. This revolution has not only made us self occupied but also deleted every possibility of real social interaction. Now you will not be amazed and thrilled to meet a stranger at a book shop who is also looking for the same book you are ,with the advent of Kindle and Amazon.com.  Kindle is a machine, with which you can not only read thousands of e-books, but can click on a tab and get the information as how many people before you have highlighted a particular portion of that book. You will no longer enjoy the bond with you and your new book or the privilege to write a special feeling for your book on the first page.  You are just one amongst thousands of users of the book. Three out of five of us go to sleep with either iPhone, or some other kind of a Smartphone, TV, or Ipad. Are we really sleeping with our enemies? This revolution has undoubtedly bridged the gap between us, but also silently intruded our personal regime and has become the ruler or an arbitrator. It has always been difficult to discipline kids, to inculcate among them virtues like humility, compassion; and these days it’s the biggest task. On the one hand we tell our kids not to watch TV or any kind of screen for long, on the contrary kids see parents glued with one of these gadgets. Face book and twitter are our best friends and we confide on them. These social networking sites have enabled us to flaunt graciously. Good or bad I can’t comment.

 We are stuck in a situation where we can’t say no to the technologies and stop it completely; there are vested interests of people in it and to some extent partial good of everybody. Your attempt to limit and restrict its encroachment into your lives will leave you in an isolated island. And if you let it loose to spread his hand, it can create havoc. I believe this is destined for us who are born in the postmodern society, a world of simulated reality.

 With Best

Anupma