Douthwaite states that, “A technological fix is an attempt to answer a social or human problem without any attempt to modify or alter the underlying social or human problem.”. (Douthwaite, 2) But believes that until social change can happen technological fixes are good to help us survive. Michael Husemann would disagree that technological fixes are good because of the irreversible damage they cause. He believes that the risks associated with technological fixes can’t be accurately predicted. In his mind any technological fix is a gamble as to whether the benefits outweigh the consequences. Sean F. Johnston doesn’t blame our inability to predict consequences but says, “inadequate engineering practice, failures of government policy, or outcomes of modern consumerism” (Johnston, 6) are mostly responsible for unforeseen consequences. He would agree with Douthwaite that tech fixes can help us though
Technological fixes have negate repercussions because the consequences of them aren’t thought out. This partly due to the speed at which technology is adopted. Often times technology, such as cars, become a norm so quickly that we can’t predict or control the risks until it is too late. Another problem is the speed at which technology changes. Passing laws is a slow process and it can’t be rushed, but technology changes so fast that it’s hard for lawmakers and scientist to take the time to understand the risks. This shouldn’t stop us from finding tech fixes though, we just need to be more aware of the consequences of our engineering and science.