This is essay 4 of 7 for The Tech Progressive Writing Challenge. Join the build_ Discord to join the conversation.
What is a technological progressive? Let's break it down.
Technological
First, there is the technological, technology, or tech piece.
Technology makes us human. Technology separates us from other species.
But, in the last 30 years, technology and "the tech industry" has been mainly associated with Silicon Valley, computers, and the internet. While important, technology is far more than Facebook and Apple. Nearly everything that you have encountered today is some technological innovation.
The wheel, the control of fire, the printing press, and the semiconductor have all brought us to the abundant world we live in today.
To not get caught up on the semantics of the definition of technology, I've always liked the following idea: the magic of technology is that it enables us to "do more with less."
The wheel let us travel further with less effort. The printing press let us distribute more information at a lower cost. The semiconductor let us compute more in less time.
So, in the context of technological progressive, technology is about recognizing, embracing, and investing in technology. Technology has helped us to get where we are today. Let’s go further.
Progressive
Now to the tricky second word. Progressive comes from progress.
Progress is the idea that humans can improve their condition. Through advancements, science, technology, knowledge, and action we can create a world that is better than it is today.
This is not taking a concrete stance on any policy or politics. Rather, it's a mindset. It's a rejection of, "This is the way things have always been done.” Or, "The best days are behind us." Or, "Our condition can't be improved."
It's about progress.
Peter Thiel writes about the definite optimist in Zero to One. The definite optimist has a concrete plan for the future and believes the future will be better than today.
Tech Progressive aligns with this idea. We will build and invent our way to a better future with technology.
I started The Tech Progressive Writing Challenge as a way to capture and share the best tech progressive ideas. Over the past few days, our group has written over 30 essays on topics like web3 education, longevity, startup cities, energy, and DAOs. Check out some of the essays here.