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There are generally three possible thought processes to a new technology: 1. This technology will be great! I'll be a hero! 2. Technology is value-neutral. T

There are generally three possible thought processes to a new technology: 1. This technology will be great! I'll be a hero! 2. Technology is value-neutral. Those who use it have their own agency in how they use it. 3. This technology could have bad side-effects and I should face them. "1" is very common. "3" is extremely rare. I find "2" intellectually defensible if a bit dodgy. I wish more technologists wondered about the end result of their pursuits. Instead, they see themselves as the protagonists in their own story, and anyone else who gets caught up should just deal with it.

sneak 12y ago
Another important consideration in #3 is that "this technology could have side-effects like enabling behaviors that society (or the government, presumably a proxy for society's will) currently consider bad and illegal, that i think should be enabled regardless." The origin of the definition of "bad" is important. Many things are illegal that should not be. It's important to build tools to help people break certain unjust laws.