Technology doesn't matter, it's what you do with it
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Technology is everywhere in our lives. Phones, watches, air purifiers, gaming consoles, smart home tech, cars... Technology surrounds us, and as manufacturers and companies battle for our hard earned cash, it's easy to let ourselves slip into comparing every technical detail, from spec sheets to features. This made me think about how this behaviour is actually counter productive, so here is why I think that technology in itself doesn't matter anymore, what matters is what you're going to use it for.
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## Tribalism in tech
Technology is just as tribal as politics. What I mean by that, is that people pick a side, and stick to it for better or for worse, whatever the arguments, the logic, or the merits of the other side.
People tend to be tribal about technology: they like what they are used to, or what they just discovered, or the latest thing they buy, and they tend to be overly protective of their chosen product or service.
A few examples of this are Tesla owners, which tend to berate everyone not using a Tesla. iPhone owners versus Android users, Xbox vs Playstation, Mac vs Windows, Linux vs windows, or even Linux vs Linux.
Yeah, we, as a community, are just as prone as being tribal as everyone else, maybe even more so. As Linux users, we defend our chosen distro tooth and nail, and we try to convert people to our way of thinking, to our distro.
This is something that is increasing lately, probably because money and time are getting scarce for most people, and as such, you want to make sure that you're buying or using the right stuff. This means auto-convincing ourselves that our pick is the best one, not just for us, but for everyone, and that everybody who bought or uses something else is an idiot. It's easier than to accept that our choice might be the best for us, but not for others, because it would imply that our favorite distro, or tech product, has flaws, and as such isn't perfect for everyone.
## It's getting stupid
Now, creating a community around stuff we like isn't harmful at all, don't get me wrong. It's great to meet like minded people, that like the same stuff that we do, so we can gush over the latest features, spec sheet, or announcement. It's a good thing, as long as it's done in the spirit of sharing our excitement over something.
When this mentality starts shifting, as it always does, towards mocking others for their choices, that's when it becomes really stupid. let's be honest, no one is going to convert to our favorite distro if we keep telling them that they're idiots for not using it.
If I go to Arch forums, and start posting stuff about how arch is terrible, and that everyone should use elementary OS, are Arch users going to like what I say? Are they going to all move to elementary OS? Definitely not. They're going to insult me, throw me away, and they'll have a terrible image of elementary OS in the process, even though I'm not even affiliated with the project.
This brings me to the main topic: technology doesn't matter at all. Your tech choices, taken in a vacuum, don't matter. What matters is what you'll be doing with that technology.
Let's take an example: recently, a lot of people are completely refusing to buy anything that has an intel processor? Why? Because AMD has made a super interesting comeback, with really good CPUs and GPUs, and has basically stolen the crown from intel.
Does that make all intel processors worthless? Of course not! We're talking single digit performance gains here, and minutes of battery life. Sure, one might prefer AMD's new offering, but does that mean that anyone who buys something with an intel CPU is an idiot and won't be able to game, to work, or to create? Of course not!
Because the person using an intel-based computer might make the exact same stuff that they would on an AMD CPU. See? It's what you do with your tech that matters.
This is the main point here: technology is just a tool. Your smartphone, your computer, your watch, your car, your smart lock: these are tools you use to accomplish tasks. The tool itself doesn't matter in the slightest. Sure, some tools can be nicer than others. Some tools can do a few things that other tools can't do. But the end result is achievable, whatever the tool. It just depends on what you prefer using.