In solarpunk communities, there is a lot of discussion on how to create a future where people, nature, and technology live together rather than in opposition. We envision a civilization in which technology enhances human interaction rather than subjugates it. We actively work to build a future where tech contributes to sustainability rather than being used as a means of extinction and environmental catastrophe. But is technology necessary for a civilization, whether it be one that exists now or one that does in the future?
Technology predates the homo sapien species, and its development and usage have always played a role in the formation of human communities, from creating hunting gear to constructing shelters to lighting fires at night to be warm and safe.
However, there are several limitations to that lengthy response, which will be emphasized in this piece.
Solarpunk's Concept Isn't All That Concrete
Solarpunk is still a very new idea and genre, despite how often we discuss what it is, what it means, and how it is portrayed. It could be more helpful to think of the phrase as a way to describe things rather than as a way to define them specifically. In this sense, solarpunk may be compared to a box where objects can be put for comparison, assessment, analysis, and connection development. Definitions are definitely helpful, but at this stage in the development of the genre, it doesn't seem very helpful to use the word solarpunk as a method of placing rigorously prescriptive boundaries to concepts.
Technology Needn't Always Be High Tech
It may be simple to think that "technology" and "high tech," which is the newest, most cutting-edge, and most advanced tech accessible, are synonymous in our age of reasonably sophisticated, electric, networked, and artificial intelligence technology. The term "technology" in its broadest sense describes a multitude of instruments and procedures developed and employed in the real-world application of learned information.
High Tech Isn't Even Necessary
Despite the fact that using technology generally appears to be a must for creating a human environment, utopia, and cutting-edge, high tech are not inextricably linked. In actuality, the exact opposite. As there are ideologies in the world, there are as many different utopian ideas.
It's OK for all of us to consider new tech and conclude that, despite its potential advancement, it is probably not the greatest choice for us at this time. The fact that tech is developed and utilized to foster peace and community among people, among animals, and with the earth is more significant than the fact that it is the most sophisticated currently accessible.
Utopias Can Be Attained
An ideal society doesn't have to be high-tech, but it does need to be reachable. For instance, by any meaningful definition of the term, the society you envision is not utopian if persons who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids are unable to move about, access both private and public communal areas, and actively engage in it. If the medical technology necessary for someone with diabetes or another illness to live in your utopian future no longer exists, then not only is your society not utopian, but the primitivist idea at its core is a pathway to eco-fascism.
In the same vein, you simply cannot label a future with great technology as utopian if it leads to oppressive regimes.