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+# Am I naive?
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+I enjoy writing technical stuff as well as funny articles. The reader is advised that this article is none of those.
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+I really like visiting my local mountains, usually the same paths over and over that I've known for all my life. I tend to guide myself without any instrument since I have a few references in the peaks that can be seen from almost any part of the mountain. The best moment to go is when it's snowy; it's famous because of it, even though, sadly, it's having less and less snow each year. When my dad was young and dating my mom, he would pick up snow in the summer and bring it back to town in a portable cooler for fun. Right now, we jump and celebrate when there's finally snow at some point in the winter or autumn. Partially it's artificial, but for now, we are still able enjoy a few days of snow.
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+People from everywhere in the world rush to my city just to go skiing in those mountains when they have the chance. I never got interested, but I do love walking over it carefully. I know when there's a higher risk of snowslide issues depending on the snow type, the ice underneath, and the position of the mountain. When the snow is soft and it's cold, it looks like dust, it crunches, and when the wind flows, the snow dust sometimes hovers over the mountain, and splashes you in the face.
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+It feels great, just to walk.
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+At this point, you might be wondering what does this have to do with tech and why I am writing this here, What do you care about snow, the mountain, or anything like that. You might even be a beach-lover frowning.
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+Well, keep with me for a while. I know we live in a context where focusing, or spending time in something that seems poorly efficient might be disliked right away. But, maybe, just walk with me for a little longer.
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+Where were we? oh yes. The dusty snow. It's cold and beautiful, when people walk over it and the sun starts to heat it, it doesn't melt right away. It becomes more compact, ice-like. it's easy to draw stuff on it with a stick, and sometimes it looks like it's sweating.
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+Naturally, every time I go to the mountain, I tend to forget about everything else. I've had stressful job positions, infinite tasks, and unfair situations. But over there, that's not really relevant, or not that much.
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+There are moments, sitting in front of a computer, in which you ask yourself, "what am I doing?", especially if you are feeling anxious about computer related things (jobs, projects, tasks). It's easy to find it almost impossible to lift that heavy, dull feeling out of the chest. I firmly believe it's one of the reasons technical people (including myself!) are somehow drawn towards sci-fi. If your work can be close to a fantasy set-up, you are mostly role-playing in real life.
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+But there's a downside to that. We live in the real world, which sometimes might seem scary and frustrating, out of our control (right now we can think of many examples, I think). The real world could be a heavy burden, but it's also the same world where there's snow. Or oceans, if you fancy; I'm terrified of the ocean myself, but I get you. You might be wondering, "The real world also has scifi like things! We are in the future!" and picture whichever thing a passionate tech person made an impressive video about. CARS! ROBOTS! IMPOSSIBLE WEREABLES! Whatever, it's no difference, really.
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+If you arrived in this paragraph without jumping, closing the tab, or anything else, you have for sure found a treasure: time. Let me tell you right away so you don't feel betrayed: I'm not going to give you a proactive, company-like speech any time now, so if you were just waiting for that, I'm sorry to waste your valuable time. You can already close this article.
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+A really interesting piece written by Sara Ahmed (The Cultural Politics of Emotions) highlights the fact that words which portray emotions have a relevant connotation and impact, and usually those who refer to caring about something or being empathic are considered somehow "weakening" and far away from what the actual world needs. Now, usually when I express the fact that some technical developments have a negative impact on climate and people's lives due to their needs... I'm sometimes smiled at. The very same way a child is smiled at when they ask a very naive question on how rain works or where food comes from.
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+It's common to see a lot of implied paternalism in the tech-world. Doesn't it bug you that you are asked not to worry about where the magic comes from, just how it works? If we are to be condescending to a person asking about the impact of tech, we might as well give it a second thought. What are the implications of what we are using or are about to use? Why are those the implications? Can they... you now, not be like that? Do we really need them the way they are? Very simple questions, really. None are strongly technical, they just need some time.
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+Does it break the fantasy of a sci-fi play? Am I sounding like a party killer?
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+Technical people, users, and everyone else has a responsibility while using technology. This is very clear to people working in my field—cybersecurity—who insist everyone should at least understand the basics of phishing, malware and more. There's no paternalism; YOU need to worry about you, and assume a certain level of responsibility, while we—the cyber security staff— will assume the rest. Shared responsibility is straightforward.
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+Then... why suddenly that rule doesn't apply with marvellous and sparkly, sci-fi like stuff in tech?
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+I just wonder why is it so common to go for a walk in one's town, enjoy the sea, enjoy the mountains, or whatever non-tech related thing you are into, and then choose to be completely blind to the impact of daily tech in those. How did it come to the point where we dissociate so much from the way we live and the way we conceptualize our technology? Even programmers, use wasteful resources, so their paragraph is partially completed on its own. Yes, if you are a programmer, you know what I'm referring to, too.
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+I know people think that caring about the quality of our lives and the quality of others might seem unrealistic, naive, and whatever. Just stop for a moment and think about how many tools you use or the things you rely on that are free software, for example. Made by people who only support it and do it because they think it's useful.
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