Resistance to New Technology

The development of the new technologies has grown rapidly for the past ten years. However, new technologies are not readily accepted by everybody. According to the article "Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering" (National Academy of Engineering, 2008), people resist new technology. What are the reasons for people’s resistance? There are many factors that contributed to people’s resistance. One of the reasons is that people do not know how to use new technology. They lack the basic technical information and do not have a good understanding of engineering and science. It is difficult for them to understand the concepts behind the products of engineering and new technologies. For example, elderly people do not know how to use computers and what the internet is because they lack the knowledge. They wonder how their grandsons and granddaughters can talk to friends through the internet. Also, some of the methods of using new technologies are very complicated; therefore, people find that it is inconvenient to use them such as solar energy system and computer system. People prefer doing things in the old way because it is more familiar to them. Furthermore, people resist new technology because there are some ethical issues that arise from new technologies such as human cloning and human embryo research. They believe human cloning and transgenic technology will destroy ecological balance.

According to the Society, Religion and Technology Project (n.d.), “Statements opposing cloning human beings have issued from numerous national and international organizations, like the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission's ethical advisors, a special report of the UK Human Genetics Advisory Council and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and also the scientists at Roslin who cloned Dolly.”

In conclusion, people resist new technologies due to a few factors such as lack of basic information, inability to use them and others. Consequently, engineers should try hard to make new technologies more user-friendly to the public.

References

National Academy of Engineering. (2008, February). Introduction to the grand challenges of engineering. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9221.aspx

Society, Religion and Technology Project. (n.d.). Human Cloning. Retrieved August 30, 2008, from http://www.srtp.org.uk/cloninf5.htm