GAVIOLA, Hans I.

BS Architecture 3

The world as we know it today is one that coexists with technology. Countries’
growths are measured by their gross domestic product (GDP) and advancements in
technology. Jason Hickel’s de-development framework elaborates on how nations fail
to correlate the increase in GDP with the increase of the quality of life. On the other
hand, Martin Heidegger regards modern technology as a standing reserve; it is a
means to an end.

The two presented theories are similar in that they both provide an alternative
perspective to modernization. Both expand upon how we, the consumers, are
connected to the globalization of technology. Heidegger notes the role of technology
in World War II and how it destroyed half of Europe and the cities of Nagasaki and
Hiroshima. He hypothesizes that technology today is not a driving force, but rather, a
standing reserve in which it is potentially stored for use in the future. This connects to
Hickel’s statement on the falseness of “infinite growth on a finite planet”. Because of
technology, rich countries are able to progress at the cost of climate change, rapid
extinction rates, and deforestation.

On the contrary, the two are vastly different as Heidegger’s is centered around
modern technology being a standing reserve and what lies beneath it. According to
him, technology reveals what we do not know yet, and afterwards, it stands reserved,
for any potential future consumption. He uses the German term “gestell” to describe
the process of enframing, whereas we, the consumers, interact with technology and
engage in the process of framing our experience. On the other hand, Hickel expounds
on how economic growth is the standard measure for how well a country is
performing. This is rated by the GDP and points out that it ignores environmental and
social costs such as natural disasters and the rise in hospital cases. He proposes a
“planned de-growth”, where assets are shared fairly to reduce economic footprint
while still increasing human wellbeing and happiness.

Based on Aristotle’s idea, we can conclude that Heidegger’s philosophy can lead
to human flourishing by framing technology as the means, and not the end. We
humans are the efficiens, the agents of change, and it is up to us to utilize technology
for the betterment of human life. Furthermore, Hickel’s theory suggests a more
inclusive approach to measuring nationwide growth by accounting for environmental
and social costs through the use of the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI).