Comwerks Interactive

Technology – A case of the Blind Men and the Elephant

Posted by Krish Sreedharan in Technology on June 25th, 2008

Before I start off my rambling, I would like to narrate a short story. Once upon a time, 5 blind men wanted to see an elephant. So they all went to the zoo where, incidentally, there was one. The first man felt the trunk and exclaimed “The elephant is like a snake”. The second one felt one of the legs and said “The elephant is like a pillar”. The third felt the elephant’s ear and concluded “The elephant is like a large fan”. The fourth felt its huge body and decided that the elephant was “like a wall”. The fifth got the tail and said “it’s like a thick rough rope”.

In all, none of them had a clear idea of what the elephant really looked like. Each one perceived it to be something different. Their idea of what the elephant looked like was driven by their mental perception.

Technology is becoming a driving factor in today’s world. It cuts across geographies, industries, cultures and generations. There are very few areas in one’s life today where technology does not play a role. An extreme instance is sports – technology abounds whether it be a physical sport such as football or athletics, where the emphasis is on the capability of this wonderful natural machine know as the human body.

But despite its all pervasiveness, there is no single answer to the question “What is Technology?” – is it a driving force? Is it an enabler? Taken by itself, is it a means to an end? – Each individual would have a different answer. Just like the 5 blind men, each individual would define technology in the way he or she perceives it.

The depth to which technology influences their life would primarily drive this perception. For example, a teenager would equate technology with his computer, music player and the umpteen gadgets that he is the proud owner of – a businessman would define technology as something which makes him more efficient in business, a doctor would define technology as an aide to his knowledge and skills, and for some “gifted” souls in this world, technology means – well, nothing!!

We at Comwerks believe that Technology, if properly harnessed, is a great way to express ones-self. Having said that, we also believe that it is purely a means to an end.

We would like to know what Technology means to you!!

Technology | Comments | Trackback