Technology: what history's greatest minds said

Benjamin Franklin would admire social media's democratic reach but criticize its lack of editorial discipline and tendency to encourage frivolous, unconsidered speech that violates his virtue of silence.

Franklin would view AI as a natural progression of human invention, emphasizing that powerful tools must be shared freely, serve genuine human needs simply, and be governed by industry, sincerity, and justice.

Lincoln believed editors deliberately distorted his words to serve political purposes. He advised readers to seek full records and reject fragmented truths repeated loudly, noting that correcting determined falsehoods accomplishes little.

Martin Luther King Jr. argued that technology is morally neutral, but society must choose to prioritize human dignity over productivity and ensure displaced workers receive support through guaranteed income.

MLK believed accountability matters, but punishment should aim toward transformation and redemption rather than condemnation alone. Division within justice movements weakens the fight against systemic oppression.

Jesus taught that self-promotion and the pursuit of worldly recognition profit nothing. True purpose lies in humble service to others rather than seeking status or acclaim.

Marcus Aurelius would not dramatically delete Twitter, but would quietly abandon it as a tool that inflames passion and vanity rather than cultivating reason and virtue.