We are the Borg. Resistance is Futile: A discussion on technology

So, I admit to being a bit of a geek from time to time. My best friend got me into Star Trek: The Next Generation a few years ago and since then, I've been hooked. Needless to say, lame cliche things pop into my head from time to time.

I also admit that I had not a single clue what to post for this first entry, until another friend compared her geekiness to mine, while searching for Pokemon facts (she recently picked the games back up).

Needless to say, video games became my focus, and I did a quick search to find out what was going on in the big bad world of technology.

Of course the first thing that catches my interest is an article on MSNBC discussing a new gaming headset engineered by Emotiv System's Inc. Place this nifty gadget on your head, plug the game into your television, and next thing you know, just a single thought will have your character swinging it's sword at the big bad many tentacled monster. At least, that's the general idea (the article is here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23261794/ )

Like the title says: We are the Borg. Resistance is futile.

This isn't the first time I've heard of technology being so invasive. I know there's a whole group of people out there some where who can't wait to jump on the idea of implanting computer chips into their brains so they can access the internet instantly, or live longer, or what have you.

I just find it really surprising that whenever people complain loudly about video games, they ignore things like this. Granted, it seems far fetched, even knowing there's a company out there ready to talk about sales, but nevertheless. While mommy dearest complains about the violence in video games and demands censorship, because, well, you know, she's too busy to pay that much attention to her kids, companies are finding ways to make it so our brain can control something.

How long before some one decides to get a bit twisted and have it control our brain? How long before we become dependent on technology to literally read our minds and do for us, losing our ability to do for ourselves?

I get funny looks whenever I talk against technology. I'm pretty tech-savvy, I grew up around computers, my parents met while working at a computer store. I will willing admit that without my computer and the internet, I'd be a bit lost from time to time. I don't have a house line anymore, because I have a cell phone, and really it's the best way to reach me. I have far more fun than I really should admit to having while playing baseball on my friend's WII system. My life would be really different without technology (though I assume that stack of books I've been meaning to read would shrink exponentially). Despite all of this, though, I do have a line. While this headset sounds like a fun idea, it also sounds like something that should probably be left to Sci-Fi movies right now. Why are we so focused on creating something that will only make the younger apathetic generations even more apathetic and lazy? The effort put into one headset, one video game, could have been easily been put into a cure for a disease, hunger, poverty, war.

And instead, I'm sitting back talking about all of us being assimilated into Borgs.

Resistance is futile, of course, but until some one shows me something good that comes out of this new headset (other than the pure entertainment value), I'm erring on the side of caution, and spreading the word to those who'll listen.

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