Module 12

We all have fear in us. Some people fear spiders, some fear never finding love, but most people fear the future because we don’t know what it holds.  The author, Joy is also afraid so it seems.  Technology has helped us to overcome that fear a bit because we can now predict the future more accurately.  Because we are trying to make our lives much easier, it isn’t surprising that it might include robots.  A real concern with robots  is that they could possibly take over the human race.  They can’t die, because they aren't alive.  With technology so advanced they could possibly develop their own thoughts and personalities. When I think of robots taking over the world it always makes me think of the 2004 movie with Will Smith, I, Robot.  I think that movie is a good representation of what could happen.  GNR is a new technology that is helping to improve us. Stands for genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and robots.

GNR has three components, the first being its genetics.  We use genetic engineering all the time!  We use it in agriculture for better crops, in medicine to help fight viruses, and even to choose what gene’s your baby will receive, such as green eyes and curly hair.  In my opinion genetic engineering is a good and helpful thing as long as we don’t over use it.  I would never genetically engineer a human, or what will become a human.  I think things could take a turn for the worst in something we don’t already fully understand.  We still get birth defects, disease, ect. that we have no idea where they come from or how to treat them.  Crops, such as corn we have a better understanding of the science behind it and it isn’t someones life on the line. 

Nanotechnology is similar to genetic engineering.  It is the second of the three GNR components.  Nanotechnology helps protect us from viruses that could make us sick. It can cause great good for us, but also great devastation. The military use it in their nuclear technology.  Using it as a weapon which could potentially harm a lot of people.

Robots is the third component.  We use robots for everything, if you count robots as any advance piece of technology such as a cell phone.  Id like to say robots are aids for the human race, like a robot nanny or something.  Robots are improving more and more because they are a part of technology.  It is just scary if we make them to advanced and they start having human like tendency’s.  We like robots to make our jobs easier, but doesn’t that make us lazy?  I think there is or will be a limit to how we use robots in our daily lives.  We still want to live and do things that make us human! If robots do everything for us then we are not living our lives to the fullest, as we should be.

Bill Joy is a little bit dramatic in my opinion, but I do agree with his underline understanding of it all.  GNR is good, but we could absolutely over use it or use it in a wrong way.  There are two sides to everything.