Reclaiming Technology for Humanity

Earlier this year, I shared some thoughts with TNGlobal on Technology and Humanity. I’m republicating the full piece here for readers following along on the blog.

We have the proclivity to believe that technology is an inherently neutral force. We view every technological innovation as a gateway toward a utopian world.

This credulity is not only naïve but also dangerous. Technology is the amplifier of human intent. But historically, the intent has not always been used to contribute to the benefits of humanity, but to satisfy a group of powerful people.

Our future depends on a pivotal choice: Will technology be harnessed for the plenitude of our provenance or weaponized for the self-serving needs of a few elites?

When the radio became popular in the 1930s, people hailed it as a miraculous invention to connect with others. Yet, the technology was deployed by Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, to manipulate public opinion. He orchestrated the Volksempfänger (the people’s receiver) which was heavily subsidized to ensure one sat in every German home.

The seemingly benevolent technological rollout was, in truth, a calculated mechanism for absolute psychological dominion. It was a daylight robbery of the collective psyche in action. The populace enjoyed the convenience of the radio, entirely oblivious to the deleterious propaganda that would soon poison their living rooms.

Similarly, the push for AI in warfare is marketed as a way to keep soldiers safe. But when a decision to strike is buried within a black box algorithm, the moral weight of the act is diffused. If technology makes warfare convenient, it will lower the threshold for violence.

History shows us that malevolent use of power brews in the shadows of convenience instead of announcing itself with a cataclysmic decree.

A few forgiven transgressions masquerading as governance accumulate insidiously. By the time society recognizes the malfeasance, the architecture of control becomes irreversible. It becomes a total fait accompli.

The stakes are exponentially higher today because the majority of us have integrated technology into our biology. Most of us can’t function without a smartphone, a smartwatch, or a health tracker. We have conceded much of our lives to the governance of esoteric algorithms, which are engineered to harvest attention and consolidate influence.

Instead of believing that the oligarchs will self-regulate, it behooves every one of us to actively steer the usage of these gargantuan technological forces away from malicious ends. The responsibility of our next world does not rest in the hands of the elites, but in our collective refusal to be subjugated.

This article was originally published on TNGlobal on 17 Apr 2026. You can view the original feature here.