Technology is Tyranny

              In ancient Greece a tyrant is a ruler who obtains power in an “unorthodox way…and exercises a strong one-man rule”.^[1] Although tyrants were viewed as well-known and beneficial, they “expelled many aristocratic opponents” despite their intentions of maintaining alliances.¹ Towards the end of the sixth century, tyrants held a bad reputation in the Greek states and were known to defy law and tradition. However, the tyrants’ contributions aided Greece in developing technology and communications which secured prosperity in the future for Greece.

              Modern tyranny takes on a new face that is seen in a variety of actions and movements. One aspect of modern tyranny is the advancement of artificial intelligence. Intelligence, as branch of technology, plays a key role in developing modern democracy but is also viewed as an act of tyranny. Tyranny is now considered to be any “oppressive” act that is capable of hindering our basic human rights.^[2] The rights that our society has created post-rise of democracy such as freedom of speech, religion, and press. Therefore anything that challenges the freedoms of modern democracy are considered to be tyrannical and have taken on a negative connotation. According to author Yuval Harari in the Atlantic, technology has embedded itself in “our inner lives, our emotions, thoughts, and choices [which can lead to unprecedented upheavals in human society, eroding human agency and, possibly, subverting human desires”.[3] For instance, the advancement of artificial intelligence in the military has given rise to UAV’s, unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. Drones are replacing military personnel and their minds when targeting foreign enemies. The ability of a computer to control the fate of a person’s life goes against what American democracy stands for. This results in a fear of losing the very morals and freedoms that encompass our democracy. America then becomes divided, in regards to the extent of artificial intelligence due to its controversy against our morals, the foundation of democracy.

The current context of the word “tyrant” takes on a harsher connotation in post democratic society than in pre-democratic society. However, I think Yuval Harari’s article uses ‘tyrant’ in the correct setting because most people do not think of technology as something cruel, or ‘oppressive’.  This article bridges the gap of modern tyranny and ancient tyranny because it is conveyed in a less authoritative context. The article suggests that tyranny does not always have to be harsh and brutal, as depicted in modern society. There are other ways to define tyranny that have benefits and positive connotations associated with the term. The notion of technology as a form of tyranny fits the ancient definition of a ‘tyrant’ because it includes the advantages and disadvantages associated with the term. This article helps readers to see tyranny in its purest form with both negatives and positives, a mix of modern and ancient. Both scenarios of tyranny bring about negative connotations but have made big steps in stimulating economic growth.

^[1] From Chapter 3 of The Heritage of World Civilizations, Tenth Edition. Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, Frank M. Turner. Copyright 2016 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

^[2] “Tyranny.” Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed 5 Sep 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tyranny.

[3] Harari, Yuval Noah. “Why Technology Favors Tyranny.” The Atlantic. August 30, 2018. Accessed September 05, 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/10/yuval-noah-harari-technology-tyranny/568330/.