by Olufemi Oyedele

Created on: May 05, 2010   Last Updated: May 06, 2010

Yes, technology is the key to alleviating world poverty. But unfortunately, it is being used by the oppressors as a tool of wdening the poverty gap. Technology is related to advancement of  an individual, a group and nation, and advancement in a just society suppose to close the widening gap between the rich and the poor. To alleviate world poverty, the world leaders will need to make a lot of sacrifices. This is because poverty is a relative term. There has been advancement in world technology and yet we are still having rapid advancement in poverty. Technology is a productive good as well as consumable good. It is consuming a large chunk of the world wealth. If we direct more efforts in productive technologies than luxurious technologies, the world will be better or it.

Henry David Thoreau's idea of living a simple life is the key we need to alleviate world poverty in today's society. His idea is not socialism or communism. His idea is based on curtailing our excesses and oppression in the world. Thoreau's idea of simple living is about individual lifestyle on pursuit of wealth and consumption. Inventing modern technology is one thing and using it to advance the cause of human living is another thing. Technology should be used to reduce poverty in the world and not to expand it. The pursuit of individual wealth and acquisition of technology is being seen in the world as individual success. This is causing group and national failures, for the gain of one is the loss of another.

Technology that eradicates man's oppression to man and reduces the gap/difference between the poor and the rich is what we need in the world today. Thoreau preached that people should use simple life for spirituality, good health, creation of quality time, reduction of stress and fatique, reduction of personal taste, reduction of frugality etc. If people cannot reduce their styles, world poverty cannot be reduced. Adherence to simplistic living will ensure that there is provision for all in the face of scarce resources in the world. Technoogy will only aid production of goods and sevices, it will not allocate it. Allocation of the proceeds of technology is where human beings are exploiting technology to oppress one another. The result is class discrimination, hatred, terrorism, racism, fanaticism, corruption etc.

Technology that advances the cause of man and reduces labour like agricultural tools and techniques, transportation means, housing materials and

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>