Technological progress comes with a Dark Side where good ideas and intentions produce undesirable results. The many and various unexpected outcomes of technology span humorous to bizarre, and even result in situations which threaten our survival. Development can be positive for some, but negative and isolating for others (e.g. older or poorer people). Progress is often transient, as faster electronics and computers dramatically shorten retention time of data and knowledge (e.g. documents, data, and photos will be unreadable within a generation). This is also destroying past languages and...

First published in 1993. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The book is concerned with human progress and the unexpected consequences of technological advances. It examines a vast range of topics from medicine to agriculture, including electronics, communications, a global economy and a burgeoning population.