Magisterial Lectures | Ma Assunta Cuyegkeng PhD - Living with Technology in a VUCA World
Summary
TLDRThis lecture explores humanity's journey through technological waves, from the Stone Age to the current era of disruptive innovation. It discusses the dilemmas of modern life, such as the choice between disposable and cloth diapers, symbolizing broader environmental and social concerns. The speaker emphasizes the importance of integral ecology, as highlighted by Pope Francis, which calls for a holistic approach to respect human and social conditions, sustainable development, and justice. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a catalyst for reevaluating our consumption and lifestyle choices, urging us to consider the consequences of our actions on the environment and society, and to make choices that benefit the common good.
Takeaways
- 😀 The lecture begins with a personal dilemma faced by the speaker in 1987 regarding the choice between disposable and cloth diapers, highlighting the environmental and convenience trade-offs in decision-making.
- ⏳ The story of humanity is presented as one of survival and thriving through the use of ingenuity and intelligence, evolving through different 'waves' of societal development characterized by prevailing technologies.
- 🛠️ The First Wave is associated with the development of agriculture, leading to stable food supply, increased population, and the establishment of social orders like landlord-tenant and master-slave relationships.
- 🏭 The Second Wave corresponds with the Industrial Revolution, marked by machine-based technologies, urbanization, and new systems for labor, economy, and education.
- 🌐 The Third Wave includes the current society, driven by knowledge-based technologies like ICT, biotechnology, and engineering, which are often disruptive and change the way we live and do business.
- 💡 Disruptive technologies paired with the right business models lead to disruptive innovations, creating new markets and changing consumer behaviors, as illustrated by the examples of personal computers, mobile phones, streaming services, and ride-sharing apps.
- 🌍 The connectivity provided by technology has made the world seem smaller and more accessible, leading to a lifestyle that we have come to take for granted, with increased freedom in various aspects of life.
- 🔄 The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of integral ecology, which considers human and social conditions, sustainable development, and justice for future generations.
- 🌿 Pope Francis's encyclical 'Laudato Si' is mentioned, emphasizing the need for respect for the environment, social justice, and a culture that values more than just consumption and profit.
- 🛑 The pandemic has exposed the volatility and uncertainty of the world, with complex systems interacting and feedback loops affecting various aspects of life, including health, economy, and politics.
- 🚫 The importance of discerning facts, respecting natural laws, and verifying information through expert consensus and ethical codes is highlighted, especially in the face of misinformation and political agendas.
- 🌱 The temporary halt of usual activities during the lockdown allowed the environment to recover, suggesting that a change in lifestyle and consumer habits can have a positive impact on the environment and society.
Q & A
What dilemma did the speaker face as a young mother in 1987?
-The speaker faced the dilemma of choosing between using disposable diapers, which contributed to environmental waste, and cloth diapers, which were inconvenient and could lead to a lack of sleep.
How does the speaker describe the story of humanity?
-The speaker describes the story of humanity as one of finding ways to survive and thrive using ingenuity and intelligence, adapting to different technological 'waves' throughout history.
What are the three 'waves' described by Alfred Duffler in his book 'The Third Wave'?
-The three 'waves' described by Alfred Duffler are: the first wave, characterized by the development of agriculture and settlements; the second wave, associated with the industrial revolution and mass production; and the third wave, which includes current society and is driven by science and knowledge-based technologies.
What is the term used for technologies that completely change the way we do things?
-The term used for such technologies is 'disruptive technologies'.
How does the speaker relate disruptive technology to disruptive innovation?
-The speaker relates disruptive technology to disruptive innovation by stating that when paired with the right business model, these technologies can create new markets and change various industries, such as personal computers replacing mainframe computers.
What are some examples of disruptive innovations mentioned in the script?
-Examples of disruptive innovations mentioned include personal computers, mobile phones, streaming apps like iTunes and Spotify, video streaming apps like Netflix, ride-sharing services, and delivery apps.
How does the speaker describe the impact of science and technology on our lifestyles before the lockdowns?
-The speaker describes the impact as providing us with more power than we could imagine, allowing us to control temperatures, access things on demand, and experience cultures like never before, making the world smaller and more interconnected.
What is the Pope Francis' encyclical 'Laudato Si' and what does it emphasize?
-'Laudato Si' is Pope Francis' encyclical that emphasizes care for our common home, touching on points such as environmental and social degradation, integral ecology, ecological conversion, dialogue, and spirituality.
What does the speaker suggest is the primary concern of those with knowledge, technology, and economic resources?
-The speaker suggests that the primary concern of those with knowledge, technology, and economic resources is profit, leading to a culture of consumption and technocratic paradigm.
How does the speaker describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our understanding of integral ecology?
-The speaker describes the pandemic as highlighting the importance of integral ecology, showing the need to see the big picture and understand the interconnectedness of complex systems, including science, technology, economy, social issues, and politics.
What lifestyle changes did the speaker observe during the COVID-19 lockdowns?
-The speaker observed that during the lockdowns, people could survive on much less, learned to focus on buying local, engaging communities, and deepening faith, which showed that choices and behaviors can have consequences.
What compromise did the speaker make regarding diaper choices for her baby in 1987?
-The speaker compromised by using cloth diapers with nappy liners most of the time, but also using disposable diapers during weeknights for better sleep and during long trips for convenience.
What is the speaker's final message regarding our relationship with technology and lifestyle choices?
-The speaker's final message is that living with technology does not have to be a passive acceptance of what is sold to us. By understanding options and consequences, and making choices that benefit not only ourselves but also others and the environment, we can hope for a better life.
Outlines
🚀 Technological Evolution and Human Dilemmas
The script begins with a personal anecdote from 1987, reflecting on the choice between disposable and cloth diapers, symbolizing broader environmental and convenience dilemmas. It delves into the narrative of human survival and progress through 'waves' of societal development as described by Alvin Toffler, each defined by its prevailing technology. The first wave saw agriculture's rise leading to stable food supplies and social hierarchies. The second wave brought the Industrial Revolution with urbanization and new economic systems. The current third wave is characterized by knowledge-driven technologies like ICT and biotechnology, often termed 'disruptive' for their market-altering impacts. Examples include personal computers, mobile phones, streaming services, and ride-sharing apps, illustrating how technology has intricately woven itself into daily life, enhancing capabilities while raising privacy concerns.
🌏 The Impact of Modern Lifestyles and Integral Ecology
This paragraph examines the lifestyle shifts brought about by modern conveniences and the resulting attitudes towards freedom and consumption, often at the expense of environmental and social well-being. It highlights the cultural relativism and technocratic paradigm that prioritizes profit, influencing our buying behaviors and societal structures. Pope Francis's encyclical 'Laudato Si' is referenced, emphasizing the need for an 'integral ecology' that respects human and social conditions, sustainable development, and justice. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a case study for the importance of this approach, revealing the interconnectedness of complex systems and the need for a holistic understanding to navigate the volatile world, where misinformation and political agendas can cloud judgment.
🌱 Embracing Sustainability and Ethical Discernment
The final paragraph calls for a return to scientific principles to address the complex challenges of our time, advocating for evidence-based decision-making and ethical responsibility. It underscores the interconnectedness of our actions with the Earth's resources and the unsustainable rate of consumption. The COVID-19 lockdown is cited as an example of how reduced activity led to environmental recovery, prompting reflection on our capacity for change. The script concludes by encouraging discernment in our choices, suggesting that a lifestyle with less environmental harm is possible, even if it involves some inconvenience. It also stresses the importance of electing leaders who consider the common good and the impact on marginalized communities and future generations, aiming for a harmonious balance between technology and a sustainable future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dilemma
💡Humanity
💡Technological Waves
💡Disruptive Technologies
💡Disruptive Innovation
💡Integral Ecology
💡Consumption Culture
💡Pandemic
💡Connectivity
💡Discernment
💡VUCA
Highlights
The speaker faced a dilemma in 1987 between using disposable diapers and cloth diapers, reflecting on the environmental and personal impacts of our choices.
Humanity's story is one of survival and thriving through the use of ingenuity and intelligence, adapting to different technological 'waves'.
Alfred Duffler's 'Third Wave' theory categorizes societal development through technological advancements and their societal impacts.
The First Wave introduced agriculture, leading to stable food supplies, population growth, and new social orders.
The Second Wave, associated with the Industrial Revolution, focused on machines, mass production, and urbanization.
The Third Wave encompasses current society, characterized by knowledge-driven technologies and disruptive innovations.
Disruptive technologies, when paired with the right business models, lead to the creation of new markets and consumer behaviors.
Examples of disruptive innovations include personal computers, mobile phones, streaming services, and ride-sharing apps.
Science and technology have empowered us but also raised concerns about privacy and the impact on social structures.
Pope Francis's encyclical 'Laudato Si' calls for an integral ecology, considering environmental and social degradation.
The culture of relativism and consumption driven by the technocratic paradigm has significant dominance over humanity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of integral ecology and a holistic understanding of complex systems.
The pandemic has exposed the interconnectedness of science, economy, human rights, and politics in managing global crises.
The need for discernment in the face of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity is emphasized for meaningful choices.
The lockdown period showed that we can survive with less, highlighting the potential for a more sustainable lifestyle.
The speaker's personal compromise between cloth and disposable diapers illustrates the balance between convenience and environmental impact.
Living with technology should involve active choices and considerations for the common good and environmental sustainability.
Transcripts
[Music]
hello and welcome to this lecture
some 30 years ago in 1987 when i was a
young mother
i was faced with a dilemma should we use
disposable diapers
which could not be recycled and
contributed to waste in the environment
or should we stick to cloth diapers
which meant
inconvenience and lack of sleep for us
that and similar dilemmas confront us in
our daily lives
as we take part in the collective story
of humanity
now the story of humanity is a story of
finding a way to survive using ingenuity
and
intelligence we have found ways not only
to survive as a species for the past two
hundred thousand
to three hundred thousand years but also
to thrive as societies
alfred duffler in his 1980 book the
third wave
described the societies in terms of
waves
where each wave displaced the previous
one
these waves were also characterized by
technologies which prevailed during that
time
for example the making of tools to help
feed the population whether they were
for the use of hunters
and gatherers or for farmers and fisher
folk
so during the stone age tools were made
of stone
during the iron age tools were made of
iron
technology after all is about us humans
modifying the natural world
to serve our needs and wants
the development of agriculture during
the first wave
truly led to a more stable supply of
food
and also an increase in population
it also led to the development of
settlements
and a new social order in the form of
landlord tenant and master slave
relationships
during the second wave which is usually
associated with
industrial revolution the technology
focused on machines and mass production
this period also saw the rise of urban
centers
and new ways of distributing resources
and managing waste
as well as new systems for labor the
economy
and education third wave
which includes our current society uses
science
or knowledge driven technology such as
information and communication technology
biotechnology and material science and
engineering
many of these technologies are now
referred to as disruptive technologies
because they completely changed the way
we did things
when paired with the right business
disruptive technology
becomes disruptive innovation they
create new markets
seeing personal computers replacing the
mainframe computer that brought
information technology from a business
to business model
to a business to client model paving the
way
for laptops and other gadgets think
mobile phones that replace the landline
phones
so that more people have access to
technology
think itunes and now spotify and other
streaming apps that change the way we
buy music
think netflix and other video streaming
apps that change the way we watched
movies
think ride sharing that improved our
mobility
and think delivery apps that helped us
during the lockdown
if we were to think of life before the
lockdowns
we can see how science and technology
has given us
more power than we could imagine
we could see more despite
our concern for privacy we can penetrate
rock traverse continents
and experience cultures like never
before
with the right resources we could
control temperatures
and get the things we want on demand
our connectivity has made our world
smaller
and to a certain degree flat
with the help of technology we have
gotten used to a certain lifestyle
that we now tend to take for granted
access to some form of livelihood
whether it's a regular job
or a gig freedom to go wherever and
whenever we wanted
because travel and tourism simply had
become affordable
freedom to say what's on our minds
because
we now have social media sometimes
without thinking of consequences
freedom to go on a binge and the list
goes on
without noticing it we had begun to
focus on things that we could do
and not miss out on without noticing it
personal attitudes and beliefs changed
even social structures changed leading
to polarizations
in many societies those who want to have
their freedoms
versus those who miss the authoritarian
regime that made life more predictable
however the story of humanity it's not
just about
survival and seizing the day
it is also about making sense of it all
given that we can experience everything
how do we make sense of what is
happening how do we make sense of our
own lives
how do we make sense of those who are in
the margins
and the whole of creation that is why
pope francis
reminded us of things that matter in his
encyclical laudate
care for our common home which came out
five years ago
in may 2015. he touched on many points
such as environmental and social
degradation
integral ecology ecological conversion
dialogue spirituality but let me touch
on just a few points
he reminded us about our culture of
relativism
where we place ourselves at the center
and above everything else
even at the cost of environmental and
social degradation
he reminded us of our culture of
consumption
which in his analysis could be due to
the
technocratic paradigm that is those with
the knowledge and technology
such as the biotech and the ict
and coupled with economic resources
these people have impressive dominance
over humanity
and the rest of the world because the
primary concern is always profit
business and government make it easy for
us to buy these things in the spirit of
economic growth
think of how we convinced ourselves that
we need certain gadgets
or the need to change the way we look
because businesses
want you to do so because they earn
profit
admittedly we need many resources
in order to survive in today's world and
so we buy
and control but when is enough enough
how do we make sense of all the things
that we do
and all the things we own
the response of pope francis is a call
for integral ecology
which highlights respect for human and
social conditions
integral ecology considers sustainable
development
culture quality of human life the common
good
and justice for generations
the kovi 19 pandemic has highlighted
how important integral ecology is it is
integral because
we need to see the big picture and use
different perspectives
to understand all the different parts of
the whole
the science and technology to understand
the virus
and to look for solutions the economic
strain on our systems
the discrimination of filipinos and the
front lines of the livelihood
livelihood of the poor the human rights
violations
in the spirit of controlling the spread
of disease
the politics in managing the pandemic
these are complex systems that feed back
into each other
and that have led to a volatile and
uncertain world
a world with ambiguous situations fake
news about covet 19 are used for
political agenda
the u.s president for example sees mass
squaring
as a political statement lockdowns are
used as an
opportunity to trample on people's
rights because we cannot hold mass
protests
take the anti-terror bill and the
renewal of the ads-cbn franchises
examples
we live in a world where people try to
deliberately confuse
us just to further their agenda
so perhaps it's time to go back
to what science taught us in the first
place
to deal with facts to respect the laws
of nature
to verify the truth of our information
through a community of experts and a
code of ethics
for example deteriorating air quality
and global warming are not opinions
there are known results from verified
measurements
the differences may be in the theories
related to them
for example that pollution causes
respiratory diseases
or that carbon dioxide causes global
warming
and global warming causes climate change
but even these theories need to be
understood from astringent scientific
methodology
and logical reasoning that is why there
are
theories that hold more sway than others
the answers are not straightforward
because
they are embedded in these very very
complex systems
because of this we should err on the
side of kosher
and avoid things that could potentially
harm our world
these complex systems show our deep
connectivity with
and dependence on the earth and its
resources
however we are consuming these resources
at a rate that is much
faster the earth can regenerate them
the rate is faster because our life
our lifestyles of convenience comfort
and consumerism need to extract more
energy
more materials to support the way we
live
what is interesting is that when covid19
stopped us from our usual ways
the earth found a way to recover we have
cleaner air
other creatures have reclaimed their
habitats
and just like cleaner air clarity in our
vision
leads to active understanding
during the lockdown we saw that we could
survive on much less
we learned to experience focusing
on buying local and engaging our
communities
deepening our faith this shows
that we can discern the consequences of
our choices
and behaviors can we continue
to make the choices that hurt other
people less
and benefit society and the environment
more
can we choose a lifestyle that doesn't
harm the environment
even if it means a little inconvenience
for us
can we choose leaders who think not only
of self-interest
but of the common good and of those who
have no voices
or who will only have voices in the
future like the poor
and the future generations discernment
can convert
ambiguity to thoughtful and meaningful
choices
the vocal world of volatility
uncertainty
complexity and ambiguity can be reframed
as a world that makes sense because the
clarity in our vision gives us a better
understanding
of what truly matters and because the
courage to shift
gears or to have agility helps us to act
more on meaningful choices
so let's go back to my personal
challenge in 1987.
what did we finally decide for our
babies
cloth or disposable diapers well
we decided on a compromise we used cloth
diapers with nappy liners
most of the time we used disposable
diapers during
weeknights so we could all sleep
properly
and during long trips when changing
nappies could be problematic
living with technology does not
have to be just a passive acceptance
of what businesses and the government
sells to us
by seeing the options and consequences
more deeply
by judging what kind of lifestyle works
best
not only for myself but also for the
good of others and for creation
by acting on these choices so that
they can become reality we may yet hope
for a better life thank you
[Music]
you
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
3. MATERI MANUSIA BALAS BUDI KEPADA TUHAN
How the advancement of technology is affecting community | Chris Stamatopoulos | TEDxHopeCollege
Why Care for the Environment? (Laudato Si Explained)
O CAMINHO A SEGUIR É VOCÊ QUEM ESCOLHE | IMPARTINDO O CORAÇÃO
SUSTENTABILIDADE - GEOBRASIL {PROF RODRIGO RODRIGUES}
HEALTH EDUC-CHAPTER 1
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)