"Nanotech" grief

Visions of the Rewilding Renaissance Grief & Praise
#1

I’ve been reading a lot about “nanotech” recently, and I’ve found it to be one of the ultimate examples of “progress” for progress’ sake, and technological tunnel vision.

Nobody has ever denied the risks associated with it, and the “benefits” they claim will only lead us to the situations put forth in the “future with no collapse” thread.

The trade-offs many people want to make seem totally insane to me, as well.

One example:
http://www.physicspost.com/articles.php?articleId=126

I hate the constant use of “Luddite” in most nanotech and other recent tech related articles. It’s like “peasant” the way they use it. Those who dare question technological supremacy are considered uneducated, fearful zealots, who can’t possibly understand such matters.
Worse yet is it’s dismissive quality. Once an opinion is deemed “Luddite”, its completely ignored in any ‘serious’ discussion.

Feel free to share your thoughts.

#2

I recently ate dinner with friends of my family and one of the women works for some nanotech research company that’s working on a “major breakthrough” in nanotech technologies. She was explaining to me all of the applications, which I don’t quite remember – there were a lot. She was excited about the work as some of the applications could reduce energy use in things like televisions. From her perspective this was a technology that was going to benefit humans and reduce negative impacts of the planet by reducing energy use. I just smiled and nodded. I don’t know how to respond to situations like that. ???

#3

imho? just smile & nod. You don’t have a chance in hell of changing her opinion, and smiling & nodding requires less energy.

As for nanotech specifically, I looked into it a bit a couple years ago and didn’t find it especially feasible, have they really made that much progress in the last 2-3 years?

#4

While going through a lot of topics that haven’t been posted in for a long time, this one I had to respond to.

Just smiling and nodding? Maybe I would too, if I didn’t find something to say at that moment. I’ve had that often, that I can only think of something long after the opportunity has passed. But even then, I find it worthwhile to try and find a way to express my feelings eventually. Otherwise it feels as if I have swallowed something I don’t want, holding it inside as a poison or at least as something I cannot digest.
It has also helped me with coming up with something more quickly at other opportunities. Usually not something to try and change their mind, more often a question. It seems that finding ways to express yourself at such times is something that can be practised, too.