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Gandhi and the Psychology of Technology

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Gandhi and the Psychology of Nonviolence, Volume 2

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Abstract

Gandhi has, oft, been criticized for being not only against technology, but against all kinds of mechanization. This chapter attempts to, firstly, put Gandhi’s views in the correct perspective on the basis of his own writings, while highlighting some of his misgivings, many of which are being manifested today. Gandhi was forthright in pointing out the obligation of the scientist toward his fellow humans, and that technology must aid learned resourcefulness, rather than create unemployment and consequential scarring for life. Further, the ideas of Gandhi could be well used to resolve the issue of “product first” or “people first.” Gandhi’s view was a proactive approach based on the user, her needs and problems. He made the “charkha” (the spinning wheel) the cornerstone of his movement to demonstrate the coexistence of technology with all levels of human existence instead of being the tool of merely the rich and the intellectual. Through the symbol of the inexpensive and simple technology of the spinning wheel, Gandhi’s concept of appropriate technology emphasized that technology must bring people together rather than create problems such as those of the digital divide, problematic Internet use and being “alone together.” The chapter ends with the concept of Gandhian engineering and appropriate technology in an effort to clarify that technology can become all-encompassing rather than being a tool for exploitation by those having access to it. Gandhi outlined how the needs of the people must not be spurned by technological growth; it must be in synch with humanity and must create “flow” while using it, ideas which could be used by psychology of technology to help the designer and developer create hedonistic technology.

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  1. SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY, USA

    V. K. Kool

  2. Harish Chandra Postgraduate College, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Rita Agrawal

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Kool, V.K., Agrawal, R. (2020). Gandhi and the Psychology of Technology. In: Gandhi and the Psychology of Nonviolence, Volume 2. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56989-1_3

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