Technological developments, in both their good and destructive incarnations, have shaped modern society.

Question: What forces have shaped humanity most?

Deepak Chopra: I think that the forces that have had the most powerful influence in bringing us where we are today, at least in recent times, have been the progress of science and technology. Unfortunately that’s not been all good.

We have now modern capacities, including things like biological weapons, nuclear warfare, and other diabolical technologies that can destroy the planet and cause the extinction of other species and risk our own extinction. So we have ancient habits which are still very tribal, ethnocentric, racist, bigoted, based on primitive ideas, and yet they rule our behaviors. These ancient habits, combined with our modern capacities, are a very devastating combination and have brought us to a place of crisis. And unless we combine our technologies, which are neutral by the way; the same technologies that can create these diabolical behaviors, the same technologies can be used to heal the world.

We can create energy systems that are non-polluting.

We have enough intelligence now to remove radical poverty in all parts of the world; to actually holistically take care of all of the diseases; and through our harnessing of the collective consciousness, actually get rid of war and all the conflict in the world.

So technology is very useful. The Internet, media, educational institutions, information networks can quickly create critical mass to heal the world. But we have to pay attention to our own spiritual development, while at the same time, acknowledging that technology by itself is unstoppable. And we cannot stop our technological progress; but we must use that technology for useful purposes.

Recorded on: Aug 17, 2007