Emmanuel C.

Diy

A Critique on Gabriel Marcels Reflection on Technology

Technology is such a common topic in the internet which is being given quite a
consideration to discuss with. Mostly, every article Ive read about this topic presents both its
positive and negative effect to the life on man. And the other thing is that, ironically speaking most
writers of those articles claims that technology is a bad thing yet they keep using it. At first, my
understanding of technology seems blurry until that Ive read Marcels stand on technology which
force me think and realized of the very nature of technology.

The article about Marcels reflection of technology refers technology as a technique of

degradation. According to Marcel, technology is some kind of a tool to attack or destroy people,
which is actually external from its primary purpose to serve man in a good way. What he was
actually implying is the effect of the use of the technology which is far to the suppose end of it. To
give a better understanding, he presents to us an example, a radio, that as a technique of
degradation, it is being use to spread false truth stomping the right of others. To further support
his idea of technology, he presented to us different negative effect of technology. These are; loss
of ones inner reality and self-mastery, laziness, resentment and envy, loss of the true value and
spontaneity of things, egoism, and lastly is idolatry. However, given these negative stands against
technology, the article concluded, according to Marcel, technology is in fact a good thing.
According to him, mans intelligence is a special gift from God, this only means that everything
good which comes in the mind of man is good, a thing which is entrusted by good to us.

The beginning until the center part of the article mostly presents negative effects of
technology. The article seems like inducing us to believe that technology will give us bad end,
until that it reaches to its conclusion stating that it is actually not. However, given those presented
negative effects of technology in the article, I will say that technology is not evil to man. It is a
product of mans intelligence. The effect of technology depends on man way of using it. It is a fact
that technology is being created to make the way of life easier. Meaning it is being created to cause
a positive effect to man. What makes it bad is the choice man way of using it. Meaning its effect
lies in the hand of man. Thats why, my conclusion is that technology is the good one and man is
the evil one. Man created technology for good yet, he is using it in a bad way. He made his choice
of using it just to satisfy his own interest and foolish desire.