Browsing the archives of the ROK, I was struck on the generally negative view of men regarding modern technology. Of course, there are some exceptions to that rule but the majority is ranging from indifferent (thinking that technology will impede their game and social life) to downright phobic (thinking “Snowden” and the like).
I will try to shed some light on the good, the bad, the ugly and the powerful when it comes to the dragon of our age.
The Bad
Young woman wielding her wand of Narcissus
When it comes to the world of technology, a disturbingly high number of people regard social media as the greatest or (at the very least) among the most important inventions and technological achievements of our age. While this is highly debatable, what it does do is give a platform to girls for self-validation, online sluttery, and spreading of irrational and toxic ideology posed as “rights”, “freedoms” and the like. Women’s egos inflated rapidly under the anonymous praise of countless faceless males, while making some temporary “friendships” with other women. Online prostitution abounds, further encouraging young women to pursue this path to depression and isolation, thinking that they will remain anonymous and/or without any repercussions or consequences.
Of course, many young men also fell under this spell, forgoing the very basics of human interaction in favor of praising a bunch of women in the vain hopes that their non-felt responses to their affection will actually lead somewhere. Also, with the ever-exploding use and abuse of mobile devices, both men and women can delude themselves with claims of social and mental health while carrying their connection and live stream of digital cocaine in their pockets.
The Ugly
Of course, the bad can turn to ugly as well, given enough time to fester. Several studies (Google Scholar and some others – links taken on March 2017) have shown a clear link between excessive use of social networking and behavioral problems, while older studies have shown the same regarding internet usage in general. Most addicts of social networks actually deny even that (denial is a typical addict behaviour).
“The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived”
And, of course, who can leave scammers out of this? Most scammers pose as girls (with the bait material being both plentiful and multifaceted enough to be extremely difficult to detect as such) as this is the easiest market to get into; most young men barely use any hint of rational thought when white-knighting, let alone the effort and skills needed to detect a scam. Women can be (and are ) approached by a different vector, usually modeling or talent scouts.
Another facet of the ugly side of technology is espionage and lack of information security. After Snowden’s and Wikileaks’ revelations of massive spying and information intercept, one can be afraid of their phone, their PC, and their smartwatch. We often see stories of hacked individuals having personal information exposed or destroyed. The widespread use of technology has created the dilemma of security versus privacy.
Technology seems like a bad deal after all those, doesn’t it? Well, if you look closely, you can find the common missing element of those cases? I’ll tell you at the end, after I list the things that technology can achieve if this element is present.
The Good
The power of technology can be harnessed for your benefit
And now the positive part of technology, namely information exchange and research. This very site demonstrates that power, showing that men can come together and share knowledge due to this new age on communication. Also, research on various topics can be achieved in seconds with the right queries, when it used to take days, even weeks of shuffling through books and old newspapers and magazines.
Friendships can be made across the world, between like-minded fellows and people of common interests, something inconceivable a few years ago. There are quite a lot of people actually making an honest living off this brave new world, something that is even depicted in articles at Return Of Kings (like some here courtesy of Mr. Kyle Trouble). We also can’t forget the increased-size dating market, should you decide to try it.
The Powerful
The true potential of technology is yet to be harnessed
The above uses show the power of technology, but its true potential is yet not reached. So, it came to me as a surprise when I found this article. While many men would argue that surveillance devices is kind of pushing it, it can only show the tip of the iceberg that is technology’s potential. If they can do it, so can you. Another thing is anonymity software, and simple low-tech solutions like covering the camera on your laptop. Open source software can make you sure of what you run on your PC, free of charge. The list could be a whole site all in itself, and well beyond the scope of this article, but you can do your research and find out for yourself.
The Element
So what is the element missing from the bad and the Ugly, and present in the Good and the Powerful sides of technology? The answer is hidden in its obviousness: knowledge. Knowledge of technology can turn it to your greatest ally, lack of knowledge can turn it to your worst nightmare.
“But I don’t wanna be a nerd!” – Some intellectually lazy slob
Tough.
Most men wouldn’t drive a car without learning even the most basic of mechanics, yet most people (and women tend to have somewhat less of the pie cut when it comes to PCs ) use something that can spy them, impersonate and incriminate them, without the faintest idea of even the basic mechanics behind that. It is also ironic that the most vulnerable people are the ones that know nothing, yet expose everything (from personal info to financial statements and credit card numbers).
Knowledge of technology is seldom hidden, as the tech community is in its very origin a researcher’s society, and is typically open of its gained knowledge – as long as you put in effort and don’t expect to be spoon-fed.
Know your tools, or stay away from them; never try to use something you don’t know what it does and how to use it.
That’s some great advice my grandfather gave me after I cut myself with a woodworking scalpel. So, to any aspiring tech-savvy man, let me tell you this: don’t be “tech-savvy”. Know your shit. Know it really well. You can check if a girl is a slut within 5 minutes. You can check if your girlfriend tries to expand her inner world with the help of another “friend.” You can make money without joining the cubicle matrix farm, and use your free time to your own benefit.
But you can get spied upon, cheated and scammed, or even worse, turned into a mindless white-knight for some airheaded bimbo. The choice is in your hands. The narrow path is harder, but the payoff is worth investing in.
Read More: 5 Ways Our Modern World Is A Pale Simulation Of The Past
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