Heidegger on Technology

Martin Heidegger the German Philosopher never liked the Modern Cosmopolitan lifestyle. He strongly believed that it stood for all the wrong things with its consumerism, shallow values and disregard for nature.

In his first major text “Being in Time” which was published in 1927, he examines the question of what it means to be human.

Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

This is a notoriously difficult text to read, and I found my fair share of challenges uncovering the dense language Heidegger uses, but I found it prophetic and deeply insightful in many ways.

Mankind is in the grip of an obsession with production and profit. Maximum yield at minimum cost, irrespective of the future consequences.

Global warming isn’t a topic we simply glide over or push away as irrelevant to our lives. We are living in its dark shadow with every passing minute of our lives.

It has become an inconvenient truth glaring at us piercingly like a tiger approaching it’s prey.

However we cannot deny the benefits of technology and the vast improvement it has brought to our lives. But at the same time it has placed unique challenges which we are unable to solve.

Despite his views being over a century old, I think Heidegger had unique insights into the danger of technology and its effects on the human psyche.

He examined the idea of what it means to be human, and technology was an obstruction to the meaning of life. “Everywhere we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm it or deny it.”

I will look closely at some of his key insights on the threat of technology and possible solutions to this modern dilemma.

Technological Expansion:

Technology is destroying our ways of thinking, Heidegger describes it as a type of homelessness, Humans are no longer at home in a world dominated by constant overstimulation.

Thanks to your TV you are merely a spectator in the game of life. Like a spectator at a football game, we have relegated ourselves to simply watching what other people do.

Instead of travelling or doing activities, we prefer to flick on the tv and experience it in the comfort of our homes. The condition of homelessness describes the separation from our true nature as participants in the mystery life. Like Adam who was banished from the garden of Eden, we have lost our sacred space in the world.

Enframing:

Heidegger describes this as a narrow, restricted understanding of ourselves and all things as resources to be organised, enhanced and exploited efficiently.

A good example of this is how we abduct animals from their natural habitat and put them in Zoo’s behind cages for our use as entertainment.

The circus is another example of how we exploit animals for our own benefits, which causes a lot of harm and suffering. Nature has become a gigantic gasoline station, an energy source for modern technology and industry.

This enframing mindset is in every part of human existence E.g. Glossy Magazines. Our thinking has transformed the way we see things. Natural things are now labelled Natural Resources.

Think about the corporate landscape whereby human beings are called Human Resources. Humans are reduced to exploitable resources. The compensation for this shallow lifestyle is by seeking superficial stimulation. Video Games, 3D movies, etc.

Technology creates this enframed way of thinking, so what people need is a level of awareness whereby we see ourselves differently. As custodians rather than users.

In this way we can protect ourselves from losing our natural ways of living. Nature has all the answers, the mystery of nature can provide us with the wonder of experiencing the meaning of life.

Threat of Technology:

The difficulty with this dilemma, is that technology is not a problem that needs a solution. Heidegger thinks that this is an ontological condition that requires a transformation in our consciousness. Raising this consciousness is essential in seeing the world from a different perspective.

A good start would be protecting our endangered species, because they are a rich source of non-technological activities.

Simple natural pleasures, such as genuine friendship, quiet walks through the countryside, sitting and gazing at the starlit sky. Anything that is not motivated by the desire for productivity or personal improvement.

In Conclusion

Humans can achieve satisfaction with a plethora of hi-tech innovations. But the real danger here as mentioned before is the process of entrapment, the state of limiting our minds in a technological environment unable to transcend its own limitations.

This affects us deeply, as we are likely to lose all awareness of more meaningful and natural ways of living. I’m no psychologist but I think this has played a significant role in the rise of mental health problems in society.

Health professionals solution to anxiety is prescribe antidepressants while ignoring the root cause of these symptoms. Which Heidegger calls a state of homelessness. Man does not feel at home in a world driven by technological advancement.

So put that cellphone away, close your laptop and take a long walk in a quiet park. You will be amazed at the deep clarity and relaxation it will give you. Nature is the best medicine you can take, and it won’t cost you a cent.

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