Crowdsourcing “sinful” images for a tech talk – can you help?

by | Feb 23, 2011 | Communication, Emerging Technology | 10 comments

How would you illustrate the “Seven Deadly Sins of Techno-Complacency” (see below)? On March 8, I’m giving a combined Second Live/Real Life talk on emerging technologies, inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins.  This will be a rather tongue in cheek affair as you might imagine, but with some serious points embedded in it somewhere.

My Seven Deadly Sins (or rather, those I will be talking about) are outlined below.  Given a bit of a time-crunch here, I’m desperately looking for images/graphics to illustrate each sin – and I’d love any thoughts you have on what might work.

Please post your ideas – including links – in the comments space below, following some basic guidelines:

  • Photos, paintings, abstract images, real life – the more creative the better!
  • Please don’t post anything that could be considered offensive though – I’ll be deleting any comments that I think cross the line.
  • For the presentation, I’ll probably select one image per sin to use as a backdrop.

I’ll post further details of the event as soon as I have them.

Thanks!

My Seven Deadly Sins of Techno-Complacency:

Widget Envy. (Envy). As technology gets more sophisticated, we constantly hanker after the next upgrade or widget.  But is this widget-envy leading to a better world, or just a different world? Or is it even eroding away our ability to make informed decisions?

Sucker-syndrome. (Gluttony). Are manufacturers playing into the “sin of widget-envy” by exploiting our desires?  Are we becoming complacent suckers to tech-savvy marketing machines?

Soppy thinking. (Greed). Is the Some One else’s Problem mindset (SOPpy thinking) leading to rampant overuse and mis-use of resources, with the assumption that someone else will deal with the consequences?

Megalomania. (Lust). New technologies come with new powers – not only military might, but also the ability to impact societies and the environment on a global scale.  What’s to stop small groups and individuals misusing high-impact technologies to force their own agenda on others?

Techno-hubris. (Pride). We think that science and technology can solve every problem.  But you know what they say comes before a fall…

Blind faith. (Sloth). On the other hand, how many people are happy to sit back and let the nerds and geeks get on with things – assuming that everything will work out just fine?  Will they make the world a better place on our behalf? And if they don’t, who’s fault is it?

Intolerance. (Wrath). Where does intolerance for those that don’t “get” science and technology “like we do” lead?  Is this a sin clothed in righteous anger?

10 Comments

  2. Erika
    Erika on February 23, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    Here are some suggestions – either literal or funny – but at least you get some fallback options.

    Envy
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1230082-jealousy.php

    Gluttony
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-12227023-drowning-in-technology.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10136215-coffee-table-remote-controls.php

    Soppy thinking (greed)
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-10833359-obsolete-computer-recycling.php

    Megalomania (lust)
    http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=12766249
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-8025991-left-behind.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-2672899-magic-weather-control-buttons-sun-cloudy-storm-etc.php

    Techno-hubris (pride)
    http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=7925218
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1655003-all-okay.php

    Blind faith (sloth)
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7941768-geek-peeking.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-5487266-gesturing-retro-mustache-man-1970-s-style.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-9912602-scientist-people.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-11961076-fool-or-nerd-macho-man.php

    Intolerance (wrath)
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-12891590-close-up-of-angry-chihuahua-growling.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-7746732-sulking-nerd.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-860348-righteous-anger.php
    http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-5685623-anger.php
    e

    • Andrew Maynard
      Andrew Maynard on February 23, 2011 at 3:01 pm

      Those are great – thanks Erica!

      • Ruth Seeley
        Ruth Seeley on February 24, 2011 at 12:49 pm

        Erika’s done all your work for you! And my, has stock photography changed since the early 1980s! Some great images there; particularly like the turtle with the rocket on its back. And the very very large microphone. 🙂

        • Andrew Maynard
          Andrew Maynard on February 24, 2011 at 12:57 pm

          Isn’t crowd sourcing great 🙂

          • Ruth Seeley
            Ruth Seeley on February 24, 2011 at 2:45 pm

            I have a medical librarian in Kansas City to whom I direct all my ‘what on earth is this mysterious plant I’ve photographed?’ images. She’s never failed me yet. 🙂

  4. PF Anderson
    PF Anderson on February 24, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    Here are a few others, again all Creative Commons licensed or public domain, from Wikimedia Commons.

    The World’s First Cyborg: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World's_First_Cyborg.jpg

    The Blind Leading the Blind: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blind_Leading_the_Blind_by_Lee_Mclaughlin.jpg

    Intolerancia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Intolerancia.jpg

    Nanotechnology book cover: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nanotechnology_book_cover.jpg

    Scientific Theory Flowchart: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scientific_Theory_Flowchart.png

    Sisyphus Pushing His Stone up a Mountain: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sisyphus_Pushing_His_Stone_up_a_Mountain_(486×640).jpg

    Gadget envy: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tokyo_Akihabara_gadgets.jpg

    Chinese aircraft fuel dump: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China-fuel-dump.jpg

    Fallout shelters:
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fallout_shelter_switzerland.jpg
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fallout_shelter_photo.png

    Fallout exposure:
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_fallout_exposure.png

    Otto Blathy in a Turobgenerator : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Otto_Blathy_in_a_Turbogenerator.jpg

    Alexander the Great in a submersible diving bell:
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Submerge2.JPG
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alexander_the_Great_diving_NOAA.jpg

    Hackerspace Workshop: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hackerspaceworkshop.jpg

    Mosaic allegory of radiowaves: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IMG_3026_Mosaico_Stazione_centrale_di_Milano_(Trasmisioni_radiofoniche)_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall'Orto_1-1-2007.jpg