The top criticism I receive from others when they hear about my critique of technology is that I should put my money where my mouth is and go live off in the woods in a cabin. If I hate technology so much, I should just give it up, right?
But they are making a fundamental mistake. They think that I hate using technology and that I’m advocating a minimalist life as a life choice, so I should be the the first to make that choice.
That’s completely wrong. Although I am attracted to a minimalist lifestyle, advocating for one is not my purpose in criticizing technology. Instead, the entire reason why I’m against technology is because it enables destruction of the biosphere, period. I’m only concerned with protecting all life, including us.
Therefore, my goal is not a rant against technology in my personal life and I am not specifically advocating for us to become more like the Amish so that everyone can have a simpler life. I only care for the biosphere and for nature, and thus my goal is not the simpler life in itself, but to dismantle what is causing the destruction: technology.
Moving to a cabin without technology isn’t going to stop the destruction. Only starting a movement against technology will. And sometimes, you have to use the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house as the saying goes. In other words, it’s pretty much guaranteed that we will need to use some technology to stop global capitalism and unrestricted technological growth.
So, what about that cabin life? It sounds like it could be a very nice place, after the technological system has been brought down, and we can usher in a new period of degrowth.