Are Unintended Consequences Really Unintended?
If you want to get the signature of techno-utopians and Luddites on the same sheet of paper, just write across the top, “Technology can have unintended consequences”. They’ll rush to sign. This is the new confession promising a more sober technological advance. Of course, the most tried-and-true method for bringing antagonists into agreement is to offer them a relatively meaningless statement to agree on. My own fear is that the doctrine of unintended consequences is worse than meaningless — it may provide cover for a continuing flight from responsibility. “What? Me? I didn’t intend that!” If I direct some mild disparagement at my wife, and if she, having heard this sort of thing one too many times, explodes in anger, I may not have intended to provoke such an outburst with my low-key remark. I may even have felt kindly toward her at the time, so that I can honestly say I am surprised and hurt by her response. But my honesty remains shallow. I did provoke the outburst; it’s just that
