Humane Technology #1: Feels Natural

All too often, technology frustrates us. It forces our behavior into constrained pathways. Even more insidious, technology can knock us out of alignment with our values, goals or health. While conventional tech creates new problems even as it solves old ones, 'humane technology' has the opposite effect. It is a partner, not a passive tool. It works with our bodies and instincts, not against them.

This post is the first in a series that attempts to make a field guide or mini-manifesto for humane technology.  To kick it off, here's the first principle of the six: Humane technology should feel natural, rather than estranging.

Medicine can be hard to swallow, and vaccine needles makes even the bravest patients squirm. Is there a friendlier way to what's good for us? Humane technology recognizes that humans are not one-size-fits-all. What works like a charm for you might feel like a curse to me.

Humane technology should strive to replicate the walking leaf: so well adapted to the local conditions that you might not even notice, or mind, that it's there. Just don't be surprised if your doctor prescribes medical-grade sushi made from GM fish, or uses a painless needle based on a mosquito's proboscis. The technology behind our advances might be mind-boggling, but the results should feel as natural as our own skin.