"The soul of man is afflicted by the machine..." Is technology a parasite on the human race?
I've been on a long journey of growing more and more skeptical of technology. I'm increasingly seeing it as a parasite on humanity, despite its many obvious upsides.
I came across a great quote from this 1922 book by Frederick O'Brien, about his visit to Tahiti over a century ago:
"The soul of man is afflicted by the machine he has fashioned through the ages to achieve his triumph over matter."
I agree that technology has a damaging spiritual effect in many ways. Although back breaking work without mechanical help degrades too. I have never felt at home in modernity. I am reading about David Jones at the moment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jones_(painter)
Many of the writers at the turn of the 20th century were particularly aware of the threat of technology as they witnessed its culture-changing and revolutionary effect. Tolkien in his own way deplored the loss of an older consciousness.
RIP Ted Kaczynski