New technology is not inherently good or bad . When economists talk about technology, they are thinking very broadly about anything that helps us produce things faster, better or cheaper . In this sense, technology is always better for someone, as it wouldn’t be considered technology if it wasn’t useful in solving an existing problem or meeting a new want. The problem is that often the effects of new technologies are much better for some people than others . And in a lot of cases, new technology is downright bad for a lot of people. Assessing whether a new invention is a positive or negative thing involves not only looking at its impact on different groups in society, but also on future generations and the environment.