I’m a little bit depressed at the world today. Perhaps reading Star of the Sea doesn’t help — although we should all (i.e. everyone who can read this weblog) be rejoicing that we don’t live in times like those of Ireland circa 1840.

Seriously though, what is computer science doing to relieve the world of that type of suffering? The complete pointlessness of the subject is enough to make me sick. This constant inventing of new technologies to drive the technology economy forward is depressing. I have long believed, since hanging around bulletin boards in the early 90′s, that technology is a form of perpetual machine. Most of the content on those bulletin boards were programs for dialling up, logging phone call usage, viewing image, and so on. On the web today, how much of the content is focused on technology: discussing it, arguing about it, selling it, describing it, distributing it, researching it, campaigning on behalf of it. It’s all about technology.

But if I care so much about the rest of the world, why don’t I leave the computers alone and do some “useful” work? Perhaps I care less about the world than I do that my chosen subject is so irrelevant to it? Certainly, I seem to be quite good at this technology lark — not a genius, but probably not incompetent either. Passable. Mediocre.

Still, I can’t help but wonder why I pursue the subject. Undoubtedly I get some enjoyment from coding (see my previous entry about writing Python scripts) but, on other days, the whole futility of the subject sits on my shoulders. I find more beauty in the real world than the digital one. I’d prefer to look at landscapes, birds and wildlife than Java, Python or the Web. Almost every new technological innovation that I read about, adds to the weight of pointless and depression sitting on top of me. RFIDing your kids, for fucks sake! Is this improving the world or simply improving the profits? It’s as if this whole technological revolution is a fake economy (not a false economy – a fake one). We’ve invented something which can “forever” provide jobs, employment and wealth just so long as we all keep inventing and then buying into those inventions. Aggggrrrhhhhh…

I’ve just created a new playlist, called “Angry”: Skid Row, Metallica, Rage against the Machine, Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, … I really need to find a better angry music collection.

p.s. when talking about ‘technology’ in this piece I’m generally thinking about digital technology

p.p.s. Sorry about the incoherent ramblings