Luddites. Commonly misunderstood to hate all technology and wish to return to pre-industralisation. This was and is still not the case. Luddites are against the exploitation of humans by technology, which is all the more relevant today as technological advances accelerate exponentially, with little care for human cost.
My name is Andy, and I’m actually very comfortable with technology. I’ve worked with and used it all my life, from leading IT, software development or cyber security for organisations, to being ‘on call’ technical support for friends and acquaintances. Technology is great, the benefits are many and massive, but all too often what is not considered is the human impact in any changes. Money is the first consideration, always. This is wrong. As most people of advancing years will tell you (and many more besides) health, happiness and connections are what is important, past a basic standard of living, acquisition of wealth is not the path to contentment.
Luddism was started as a means to spew my thoughts about this and hopefully introduce others to the fact that there alternatives to our current predicament. We should reject a society of fear and consumption in favour of one that prioritises our wellbeing over profits – choosing bonobo over chimp, if you will.
Technology can be an enabler for this, if we can allow it to be. Or it can further entrench inequalities and injustices. The choice is actually ours really, since the consumption model depends on consumers. Be a luddite and choose technology that lifts up people and the environment, and not enslaves them.