[extropy-chat] technology optimists vs pessimists

[Adrian Tymes]

--- spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:
> "The study defines a tech optimist as believing technology will make
> life
> more enjoyable, while pessimists are indifferent or even hostile to
> technology. Pessimists outnumber optimists 51 percent to 49 percent."
> 
> I was shocked!  Half the population are indifferent or 
> even hostile to technology?  Oy freaking vey.  spike  

That's not as bad as it might sound at first.  Consider the following
survey:

Which of the following best describes your beliefs?
* Technology will make my life more enjoyable.
* Technology will force me to learn more stuff, and I hate learning.
* Technology won't change what I really care about.

With the right phrasing, you'd expect a roughly 1:1:1 distribution
among the three choices (possibly more in the latter, if you make it
the choice selected for "no response" or "no opinion").  But almost
half the people chose the first option!