Mahon has been writing about technology for a quarter century, and he doesn't shy away from the big questions. Since 1984, he has worked as a consultant to electronic and genetic engineering firms. Mahon moved to the valley 20 years ago and sensed then that he was in a strange new world. We spoke recently about his hopes and fears for technology in the 21st century. Q Religion teaches a constant message.
Technology is about speed and innovation.
A The ancients understood science and technology as ways to pursue beauty, truth and goodness. And through most of history, technology served human ends. It's only in the last 20 or 30 years that we've done a flip-flop and that people increasingly have had to keep up with technology. We're like a sleek Porsche that's cruising on the Autobahn at 150 miles per hour, but there's nobody in the driver's seat. And the speed is accelerating.