Technology and Conflict
Since the beginning of time, conflict has been a component of human existence due to the diversity of human viewpoints. Humanity as a whole uses conflict frequently in daily living, including in government regulations, trade, and even technology. Due to technological advancement, the world is both growing larger and smaller, growing farther apart while also getting closer. On one side of the table are optimists who keep praising how this technology has empowered individuals, enhanced communication, and managed to spread democracy to every part of the world. However, this advancement in technology has also introduced conflict into the home. On the other side of the table are the pessimists who argue that technology has led digital insecurity and increased inequality in countries that experience improved technology.
The Nature of Technology Conflict
This nature of conflict experienced by these individuals has been pushed by the way technology is applied. It is important to understand technology in wide perspective and not only in sense of kinetic power and communication. This is important because the complex and nonlinear relationship of the nature of technology plays a big role in defining technology conflict both at an individual level and group level. A good example of how technology plays a direct role in creating conflict is how the military tries to detect and destroy explosive devices (Mowlana and Wilson 18). This and other related issues have pushed the techno-scientist to carry out a survey on the impact of science and technology towards humans' social behavior. Technology development has created numerous weapons that are complex that result to the death of many people in case used.
Technology and Political Aims
Technology aids in creating conflict by helping an individual who has their own interest and concerns to achieve their political aims. War is a political conflict, people engage in war in order to prevent or protect their interests from being overthrown by their opponents. From this case, technology not only drives conflict but aids the political bigwigs to attain their objectives by using force and technology to pin down their opponents. It is also clear that technology plays a big role in pushing for social behavior which is not limited only to conflict. For instance, during the First World War, different countries had a problem of capturing their opponents' territory because of the technology of that time (Mowlana and Wilson 28). However, after the change of course and technology development, it resulted in a political settlement. Since then to date technology has been adopted and constitutionalized to be part of every war or conflict. Although the development of technology has great benefits, pessimist argues based on their needs and interest that there are numerous cases of insurgency and extremists. Enhanced and easy communication of information on social platforms on matters of discrimination is a big challenge to different states that mostly result to extremist groups being formed. European states and other nations are faced with a task of combating effects of information and communication technologies. Due to this factor countries have invested resources in helping in information and technology.
Technology and Information
Optimists argue that due to technology people are able to gain network and share information what they refer to as cyber. This is true and evident from the abundant information found in Website e.g. Yahoo and Google. Technology has therefore served their interest and satisfied their need of gaining information that is helpful in studying and learning. However, cyber has turned to be a security concern with numerous cyber threats which relies on a network. Cyber has caused conflict both in states and non-state actors where they use the internet to strike other individuals. Actors commit a crime by targeting anyone on the internet and make it difficult for them to be identified as the instance of Stuxnet.
Resolving Conflict and Technological Development
For these two sides, the pessimist and the optimist, to come to a common agreement they need to understand various factors about technology. They may have contrasting opinions but when they join together and decide to have an idea of managing the challenges that come in handy with technological development then the world will be a better place to live. They first have to understand that all these technological advances have one thing in common which is that they rely on access to information. Initially, before this conflict, information was usually controlled and managed by formal institutions, located with the military and obtained government funding (Cole 22). This advancement needs to be evaluated in a number of ways:
Scientist's Responsibility
Coming up with an awareness that encourages scientists to be responsible for their innovation will help in reducing risks brought by technology. Their innovation should be based on promoting humanity.
Political and Legal Challenges
The scientists should put in mind the kind of political or legal challenges that their innovations present. A checklist on what innovation may cause should be in place. Their innovation should meet the set standards in promoting humankind rather than a platform of supporting conflict.
Promoting Healthy Relations
The government should promote good and healthy relations between academia and other organizations in understanding ways of mitigating uncertainties and risks that are brought with technological advancements. Politicians and their interests must be devoted to having a peaceful nation and everyone being responsible for their actions.
Works Cited
Cole, Donald W. Conflict Resolution Technology. 1st ed. Cleveland: Organization Development Institute, 2003. Print.
Mowlana, Hamid and Laurie J Wilson. Communication Technology And Developement. 1st ed. Paris: Unesco, 2008. Print.
