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Technology's role in the confusion of needs and wants

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  • Rivers, Theodore John

Abstract

Although wants are virtually unlimited whereas needs are limited, technology facilitates the transformation of wants into needs, and therefore seems to elevate desires into necessities. This transformation confuses needs and wants. Because we have conditioned ourselves to the presence of technology, we now have so-called “technological needs,” many of which are of recent development. Some needs that technology addresses are falsely placed, and some are not needs at all; others have existed before technology came into being. Although need is an ambiguous term, technology intensifies this ambiguity.

Suggested Citation

  • Rivers, Theodore John, 2008. "Technology's role in the confusion of needs and wants," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 104-109.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:30:y:2008:i:1:p:104-109
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2007.10.001
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    1. Rivers, Theodore John, 2005. "An introduction to the metaphysics of technology," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 551-574.
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    Cited by:

    1. Brezina, Tadej, 2010. "The impacts of technology on growth: Studies of agriculture and steel," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 312-323.

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      Keywords

      Technology; Needs; Wants;
      All these keywords.

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