| "Smoke is an indication of work . . . therefore, we are | | | | the rich while assigning lower priority to the needs of |
| proud of our smoke." | | | | those who exert weaker demand." Henceforth, the |
| Reactions to the thoughtless acquisition and utilization | | | | wealthy are now able to maintain their historic |
| of introduced technology in Southern India. | | | | dominance over the resources of the world through |
| "Developing countries must not and will not allow | | | | their access to technology. |
| themselves to be distracted from the imperatives of | | | | In Bangalore, the unequal distribution of technological |
| economic development and growth by the illusory | | | | access and the resulting class disparities is |
| dream of an atmosphere free from smoke or a | | | | demonstrated with exceeding bluntness. The |
| landscape innocent of chimney stacks." -A.K.N. Reddy | | | | purveyor of wealth in this city is the information |
| In A.K.N. Reddy's essay, "Technology, Development, | | | | technology industry, and access to technological |
| and the Environment: An Analytical Framework,"which | | | | knowledge is necessary to reap the benefits of this |
| was included in Ramachandra Guha's Social Ecology, | | | | economic sector. Throughout Bangalore, huge IT |
| he asserted that modern societies are developing and | | | | skyscrapers rise out of stick and stone slums, the |
| utilizing technologies that are perilous to their | | | | doors of business that cater to the technological |
| environmental and social ecosystems without | | | | classes are guarded against the intrusion of outsiders, |
| recognition of the inherent risks. He also addresses | | | | and the complexes of the technological elite are |
| how the technologies of the developed world are, | | | | walled off so that they cannot even be viewed, let |
| "...in the process of massive transfer to the | | | | alone accessed, by the commoner in the streets. The |
| developing world," and the increased degradation that | | | | trickle-down effect does not seem to operate here, |
| these societies have undergone as a result. In | | | | as money seems to stay within class sanctioned |
| response, I intend to address the essay's major | | | | cyclic rounds; upper-class shops and restaurants for |
| points, as well as apply them to my surface | | | | upper-class individuals, lower-class ones for the |
| observations of the impact that such technologies | | | | lower-class. In India, more than most other countries, |
| have had on Southern India. | | | | it is access to technology that allows one to obtain |
| Reddy began his essay with a synopsis of the major | | | | and maintain affluence; class is now not only |
| criticism against modern technology. He first divided | | | | maintained my social lines but by technological ones |
| these criticisms into three categories- environmental, | | | | as well. This dichotomy between the upper and lower |
| economic, and social- and then applied them | | | | classes seems to have created two completely |
| separately to fit the particular contexts of developed | | | | separate spheres of Indian society which are |
| and the developing countries. In my use of Reddy's | | | | developing away from each other at an ever |
| framework in application to my observations of | | | | increasing pace. The culture, beliefs, and, most |
| Southern India, I have allowed the initial three criticism | | | | pertinently, experiences of the technology class are |
| classes to stand, but I have omitted the later | | | | quickly becoming so radically different from that of |
| distinction; as I believe that, in the intervening years | | | | traditional, rural India that social upheaval is eminent. |
| since Reddy's article was written (1979), the impacts | | | | The final criticism which Reddy makes is that |
| of modern technology have had similar impacts (on a | | | | introduced modern technologies carry with them |
| varying scale) on both sets of societies. | | | | major social consequences for developing nations. |
| The first of Reddy's criticisms focused on the | | | | Again, the primary focus of his argument was on the |
| environmental impacts of modern technology. He | | | | class aspects of this issue and how access to |
| wrote that the influx of such technology has had a | | | | technology is a major point of contention between |
| horrendous impact on the natural world and this, in | | | | various levels of social strata. He pointed out that, |
| turn, has not, ". . . resulted in an environment more | | | | even though the benefits of technology are out of |
| conducive to the physical and mental well-being of | | | | reach for the poor, they still have, "to live cheek by |
| man." Reddy goes on to say that the modern | | | | jowl with its unpleasant features such as pollution." |
| technologies which humans have created and are | | | | Reddy expands his criticism by stating that modern |
| currently implementing on a mass scale are | | | | technology changes the face of labor by introducing |
| threatening us in all aspects of our lives. He states | | | | mechanistic means of mass-production which cause |
| that, ". . . with the increasing deployment of modern | | | | the depreciation of traditional craftsmanship. Inherent |
| technology, man's welfare has been threatened by | | | | to the introduction of new technologies, employees |
| the escalating levels of pollution- pollution of the air | | | | who manufacture goods no longer need to possess |
| that he breathes, the water that he drinks, the food | | | | any strong base of knowledge or skill; as their role is |
| that he eats, the quietness that he needs, and the | | | | reduced to that of machine. |
| beauty of nature that he enjoys." | | | | Under this new system of industrial production, "only |
| The above statements in regard to the subsequent | | | | a few [workers] are required to possess a high |
| environmental impact of modern technology are | | | | degree of intellectual capability and/or manual skills, |
| readily apparent to anyone who has ever tried to | | | | while the barest minimum of intelligence and dexterity |
| venture down Bangalore's traffic packed streets. The | | | | is expected from the vast majority of the working |
| shear amount of automobiles, rickshaws, and busses | | | | force. To this majority, 'soul destroying, meaningless, |
| have long ago exceeded the city's carrying capacity, | | | | mechanical, monotonous, moronic work is an insult to |
| and it regularly takes over an hour to travel what | | | | human nature . . .'" The extended result of this is |
| would otherwise be a short journey. I would | | | | employment that is neither particularly difficult nor |
| speculate that it would be much quicker to walk | | | | desirable and the creation of a sharp division |
| within the city rather than use public transport if it | | | | between work and leisure time. This division of time |
| were not for the fact that it regularly takes over ten | | | | is in direct contrast to the traditional manner of |
| minutes to simply cross a street. Another effect of | | | | production, in which work was also a livelihood. |
| this traffic influx is that the air is completely choked | | | | This degradation of work is also clearly evident in |
| with automobile exhaust. During rush hour the | | | | Bangalore. Many of the top jobs in this city are in the |
| exhaust cloud is so thick that it often times becomes | | | | IT sector and, while they necessitate advanced |
| difficult to see through it to the other side of the | | | | degrees and evidence of learning, they are incredibly |
| street. | | | | basic. In fact, in western countries, these jobs are |
| Bangalore's exhaust forms a thick blanket over the | | | | only occupied by people who have the barest |
| entire city and its presence is ever-present- its smell, | | | | minimum of education and skills. It is India's finest, |
| taste, and grit constantly barrage one's sensory | | | | most educated, youth who are engaging upon IT |
| faculties. These emissions cause lungs to ache and | | | | careers that can neither stimulate nor educate them |
| many of the city's residents often wake at night | | | | any further. The social impacts of having such large |
| gasping for breath. The effects of long-term | | | | numbers of highly educated people engaged in the |
| exposure to this pollution can scarcely be fathomed. | | | | most base of professions can only be speculated. But |
| The next criticism that Reddy acknowledges has to | | | | I feel that these effects can potentially seep deep |
| do with the fact that new technologies cause | | | | down into the educational institutions of India. For |
| economic disparities which impact all spheres of | | | | where exactly is the impetus to educate people in |
| industrializing society. In a culture that is centered | | | | preparation for moronic employment? I do not know. |
| upon modern technology, the ability to access it is | | | | A.K.N. Reddy's essay very keenly strikes the |
| absolutely necessary for an individual to be able to | | | | criticisms of modern technology right on the head. |
| participate in the macro-economy. In order for one to | | | | Although he authored it nearly thirty years ago, his |
| be able to access the new technologies they must | | | | warnings remain as pertinent today as they ever did; |
| be a member of the particular wealthy and | | | | especially for developing nations such as India. As I |
| comfortable classes who, essentially, control it. This in | | | | have attempted to demonstrate, many of his |
| turn causes major divisions between the haves- who | | | | speculations about how industrializing countries would |
| use new technologies to their ever increasing | | | | absorb modern technology have actually occurred, |
| advantage- and the have nots- who are outside of | | | | and India is quickly becoming the wasteland that |
| the technological pail. Reddy wrote, "and thus, one | | | | Reddy prophesized. Most importantly, Reddy's |
| comes to the next turn of the spiral . . . the | | | | writings force us to take a proverbial step back to |
| increased inequality resulting from the initial unequal | | | | take a look at where our society is going; they make |
| access to the new technologies stimulates the | | | | us to realize that we do not have to destroy our |
| development of further advances in technology | | | | ecosystem to survive, that we do not have to work |
| which will then accentuate the inequality even more. | | | | menial jobs, that we canquestion the broader impacts |
| This intensity of class divisions also manifests itself in | | | | of our collective actions. Who wants to wait ten |
| the dispersal of resources. In a society that has | | | | minutes just to cross the street? Who wants to be |
| profit as its primary aim, far more emphasis is placed | | | | constantly poisoned by exhaust fumes? Who wants |
| upon the moneyed (technological) minority at the | | | | to live in a deeply bi-furcated society? Who wants to |
| exclusion of the poorer (technology deficient) | | | | live in a world without forests, pure water, and fresh |
| majority. This grossly unequal dichotomy causes, ". . . | | | | air? Really, who? Then I must ask, in the spirit of |
| technology to respond more avidly to the needs of | | | | R.K.N. Reddy, why are we doing this to ourselves? |