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Future Technology – Two into One –

TONEGAWA Rin (Asahikawa National College of Technology)

Ikebana, Japanese flower arrangement, and Western flower arrangement. You may think both are the same type of art form using flowers. But they are different. I have realized through my practicing Ikebana that they are not actually the same. How exactly, are they different?

One crucial difference is the condition of the flowers. I have heard that Western flower arrangement uses flowers that are in full bloom. However, Ikebana uses flower buds or flowers that are about to bloom. Therefore, it is possible to say that displays of Western flower arrangement are shown at their best, whereas displays of Ikebana are made with the image of flowers blooming in the creator’s mind. To me, this difference seems to be related to our ways of developing technology.

What kinds of new technologies do you think are required in this world now? Most people would respond “the best technology that can be used at the present time,” or “technology for the future.”

Well, then, which is more important? My answer is; “Both are equally important.” We should not choose one over the other.

“The best technology that can be used at the present time” would bring us the most beneficial results immediately, but it could also create unexpected problems in the future. This kind of technology may not survive long enough, and it would end up being abandoned. On the other hand, “technology for the future” can be usefully applied for a longer period of time. However, this technology could be too advanced for current society. People may not be able to accept it easily because the technology is way above the level of what we need today.

Therefore, both ways of developing technology – the one that is looking at now and the one that is looking at the future – have their own advantages and also disadvantages.

Just like the two different forms of flower arrangement, there is another example that has to do with “now” and “future.” Such a difference can be found in architecture. Think of European castles made of stones. They are in their best condition at the time of completion, and start to be eroded gradually by wind or rain. Now think of Japanese temples such as Horyu-ji Temple. They are made of wood, and wooden architecture starts to show its strength several years after completion due to the nature of wood, which expands and shrinks.

In both “flower arrangement” and “architecture,” we see the Western type and the Japanese type. The Western type looks at the present time – the Japanese type looks at the future. One way of looking at developing technology can be the same as this. I would say that the technology possible at the present time is of the European type, and that the technology foreseeing the future is of the Japanese type. Of course, I do not deny that there are many other ways viewing technology.

From my own perspective, I think our technology that has been developed so far is mainly of the European type. People have always pursued the best technology at the time, because it would bring us immediate benefits. Good results are easily and quickly available, and they lead to great advances for society.

However, this way of development fails to look ahead to the future, and it also leaves room for further refinement. Some cases of recalled products have been caused because manufacturers were unable to predict their potential malfunction.

Furthermore, it has been a long time since we started talking about global warming, which resulted from the increase of greenhouse gases. This is the most striking example of the consequences of using technology without thinking about the future.

Given these facts, it is not surprising that society has now turned to the technology that foresees the future. We all know that “ecologically-” and “environmentally-friendly” products have been well known around the world. Solar panels are one of those products, and they have been increasingly drawing more people’s attention. However, such products are still a little expensive and not easily available to many consumers. People may also be unsure about the technology they cannot see in front of them. “Prompt availability” for consumers is an important factor even for the cutting-edge technology.

Let me go back to the two forms of flower arrangement. They stand respectively as something we enjoy in our lives. However, technology directly affects our lives. If we keep separated the two approaches to developing technology, we will fail to protect both our current and future lives.

The new technology we need from now on should have the characteristics we can see in both Ikebana and Western flower arrangement; the best at the present time AND benefits in the future.

By integrating these two perspectives, why don’t we make our lives more convenient and keep Mother Earth more sustaining?