Why people resist new technology

Human beings tend to resist newly developed technology because human beings are afraid of change. Reliability is one of the major concerns. When new technology is developed and launched, people are often unsure if it will work as expected and if it can be readily available whenever needed. It is not easy for people to trust cutting edge technology. For example, in Singapore, NEWater is a new technology that purifies waste water to produce clean water. This technology tends to give people an impression that it has too many restrictions and that it may not always be available. Though the water supply may be increased, the situation that Singapore lacks fresh water sources still remains. For many people, NEWater is only treated as an aid or a second choice. Once our natural water supply runs low, we can hardly rely heavily on NEWater. Another reason people resist new technology is that we feel so used to our 0lifestyle that they see no need for changing to a new one. More often than not, we are content with what we already have. This is because once they choose to use a new technology, they have to adapt to a new lifestyle again, which may not be a good idea for many people. Such a mindset is even more common among the elder generations; it is hard for them to understand the reason to change from, for example, fossil fuel to solar power, since they have had little difficulties with the old energy source over the years. For them, it is simply too troublesome to adapt to the new energy source. Another group of people who reject new technology fear that the technology is so powerful that one day it may replace human beings. Computers are a good example; more robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to the extent that the computers seem to be capable of doing more jobs which were once done by humans. Fearing the loss of their jobs to computers, many people would rather live without them. In conclusion, concerns about reliability, reluctances to change and fears of being replaced are some of the key reasons which cause human beings are resisting new technology.