TECHNOLOGY TIME

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 14

TECHNOLOGY TIME

By

WHIM WHAM

“ the increasing impact of technology, relatively unheralded, little understood and almost totally unprepared for . . .’’—Mr Rowling. after Thomas Bracken, ‘Not Understood’ Not understood! Technology besets Us, We read, we listen, but the muddy Flow Of Argument and Information gets Us No further. Switching off, we let It go, Not understood. Close to their Chests, the Corporations play The Games THEY understand, and we do not. The Wheeler-dealers wheel and deal away, They tell us Little, and They leave a Lot Not understood. Economists talk a Language of their Own, . As if “They understood — They understand Each other, I suppose. They play alone, Like Children tracing Figures on the Sand, Not understood. We talk of Silicon Chips and nuclear Piles, . As if we had an Inkling of such Matters, Over our Heads, out of our Depth by Miles! Dust in our Eyes at most, some Expert scatters, Not understood. The Engineer, the Scientist advise The Government, the Government then borrows, Wise in Today’s Technology — how wise Is That? If only they could know Tomorrow’s, Not understood. As for the Minister, who thinks we think HE understands the Subject he’s explaining, And promises — the Earth? Why, in a Wink Technology will change all That,- remaining Not understood!