The Psychic Pain of New Technology

Change is inevitable. New technology is helpful, but what does it take away ? One must anticipate and adjust.

The effect on Nepal of roads, hydro-electric power, television and other kinds of technology will come in two categories. The first one will better the lifestyles of the people. Refrigeration, for example, enhances food storage and guns facilitate hunting. The second category, whose workings are harder to gauge, will have the opposite effect. Its practices will subtly eat away the fabric of the culture in the name of development. What I hope, therefore, is that Nepalis can somehow learn to anticipate the adverse effects of technology and, thereby, learn to avoid them. Perhaps technological intrusion cannot be stopped, nor would it be fair to many if it did stop, but it could be slowed or modified if it is understood that it could cause harm. If they do nothing more than anticipate and understand these effects, Nepalis will be one of the first cultures to do so in history.

At one time, I was a dam builder. So I understand the power potential of rivers. I remember seeing the roaring Dudh Kos i river in its deep canyon as I walked from the Phortse Bridge to Gokyo in the Khumbu. I visualized a gigantic electric power dam and roads constructed to wheel in supplies and equipment. But then I also thought about what effect the building of such a dam would have on the people – mostly the children.