I have been reading and reading about Martin Heidegger lately, and although I am pissed at him for joining the Nazi Party during the era of the Third Reich, his brilliance when it comes to unpacking the world in which he found himself and in which we live now, makes me forgive him. But only a little ('cause dude, if you had such beliefs, why would you not stand up to....oh nevermind).
A few aspects of Heidegger's philosophy I have found to be truly engaging. These involve his ideas on thinking and curiosity, as well as his view on technology. I will start with the tech pieces.
Heidegger was seemingly interested in the etymology of the words that we employ. I am too. I want to know where words originated to help me understand meaning more deeply (whatever that means). So with the word technology, he finds that the Greek roots really point toward this word referring to a "method" or "art" of doing something, not just "tools" that we create and use. So the technology that we employ on a daily basis is really shaping the way in which we live. In fact, it's a part of our lives in way that is so intangible and thoughtless, that we can navigate the wired world with ease and probably with a preference for such a world over a less technologically enhanced one.
Heidegger's concern is that we run the risk of not being "aware" of the effect this method has upon our lives. "Everywhere we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it. But we are delivered over to it in the worst possible way when we regard it as something neutral; for this conception of it, to which today we particularly like to do homage, makes us utterly blind to the essence of technology,".(Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology, 1954). So what can we do to make ourselves aware of the pull that technology has over us? Well, first of all, we need to think about our use of certain tools, shortcuts and conveniences.
Sure, I write this from a laptop, in a fully wired home. And yes, I have a tablet, and a cell phone, and a television, two game consoles and an ipod. And yes, I use many of these items (and more!) on a daily basis. But do I use them without thinking? Sometimes, surely. But does everyone who uses these items similarly sit and think, as I do, "Is this wired life any better than a life without all of these technological enhancements, without this stuff?" I would guess no.
Convenience definitely has its upsides. Does anyone want to wash clothes with a basin and a washboard anymore? Who has the time? Or do we have the time? What are we doing instead? Well, instead of meeting with students various times over the summer, I can have them email me their assignments, which I can grade in the privacy of my own home, in my pajamas, at 2 am or 2 pm. It's my call. But to do that, I need to buy internet access and I need to set up a work account to stay in contact with them. I also needed to create a website with all of the assignments.As we're virtually expanding out, virtually interacting with others in far-flung corners of the world, we're also losing sight of potential negative effects of technology, a necessity of our own creation. The power goes out and people freak. What will I do? Well, what did people "do" when the sun went down and there were no lights to flick on? They went to bed. They read by candlelight. They talked. They had sex. They did human things with other humans.
When Hurricane Sandy hit, initially, I was worried about not having power. But by day 3, I had already settled into a routine of taking a walk to the community center a mile away for information, after which I would continue on a loop through the neighborhood to buy the paper, maybe some non-perishable items. It was, all of a sudden, "normal" again. And just like that. Only 2 days out. I knew my family and friends were OK, and I just settled into this new routine. Yea, drying my hair with a hair dryer would have been nicer than the old November air-dry, but whatevs. And am I a better person because I didn't freak? No, I am just making a point that we're so scared of losing this world of convenience, and of not having to think about what we're going to do next, that we kind of forgot that we're pretty good at entertaining ourselves and solving problems.
Technological advancements have also let us pretend that we can cheat death. Whoa, well, that really seemed to jump from being "not neutral" to a panacea that makes us feel immortal. But seriously, we can: install pacemakers inside people's bodies, inoculate against many once-deadly illnesses, laser off a layer of someone's eye lens to restore their vision, come up with chemical food additives that make foods cheaper and more filling, print 3-D organs and limbs for those who need them, and although all of these innovations have improved lives and probably even increased life spans, have they increased the quality of our lives? I am sure that for some, yes. But on a whole, is the human condition any easier to bear?
Furthermore, as we see with the endless arguments over climate change, pollution, fracking and a host of other issues, there are real pitfalls to keeping technology a neutral force, "Agriculture is now a motorized food industry, the same thing in its essence as the production of corpses in the gas chambers and the extermination camps, the same thing as blockades and the reduction of countries to famine, the same thing as the manufacture of hydrogen bombs," (Heidegger, Four lectures on Technology, 1949). It may be true that there is nothing that will come of eating Genetically-Modified Organisms, and that the way in which humans "domesticated" wheat and sheep is essentially the same as more scientific forms of gene-splicing and manipulation that is occurring now. But the time and effort that went into domesticating animals was over centuries, even millennia. And there were negative consequences. The domestication and preference for certain varieties of food have led to the plants being more susceptible to disease (hello, Irish Potato Blight and subsequent Famine). Consider even "designer dogs" - dalmatians run the risk of being deaf, German Shepherds are prone to hip displasia. Our experimenting has real consequences for not only us, but other species and the natural environment in general. We potentially make the natural order unbalanced; usually in our favor, but for how long? Is it sustainable to continue?
So now what? Well, Heidegger really caught my attention with this quote, "If he is to become a true cabinetmaker, he makes himself answer and respond above all to the different kinds of wood and to the shapes slumbering within wood—to wood as it enters into man's dwelling with all the hidden riches of its essence. In fact, this relatedness to wood is what maintains the whole craft. Without that relatedness, the craft will never be anything but empty busywork, any occupation with it will be determined exclusively by business concerns. Every handicraft, all human dealings, are constantly in that danger," (What is Called Thinking? 379).
As a teacher, this idea of spending time with your craft, considering your craft an "art" resonated with me. If we are to become true teachers, we need to realize that we're dealing with humans, crafting them to become other humans in this society. They need time, attention and thought. Providing students with hand-outs and things to keep them busy will probably make them look like they're learning, but will it lead to as much critical thinking and overall stimulation as a good conversation on the same topic?
Similarly, growing vegetables for human consumption needs time, attention and thought. Do I grow my tomatoes next to basil or next to carrots? Do I use compost or fertilizer? Is there a lot of thought going into using GMO seeds over the seeds the neighbor has collected and cleaned as his father and grandfather did for generations before? Or are we falling back on convenience and a desire to infuse technology into everything we do without foresight. What will be the consequences of actions without thought for the humans yet to be born?
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