"those who would change the world were viewed with suspicion and dread" There's a difference though: some ways of changing the world are much safer than other

"those who would change the world were viewed with suspicion and dread" There's a difference though: some ways of changing the world are much safer than other ways. Traditionally, it's been politicians who want to change the world, because they were the only ones with enough power to do so -- and people were rightly afraid (and still should be). But technologists pose a significantly lower risk. Sure, there are exceptions, like the Manhattan Project. But for the most part, technology is opt-in, and people opt-in because it helps them more than it hurts them.