You mention the use of technology as a form of political oppression. That is a serious fear, and the way I see it, this is happening the most with the lack of technical education in public schools.

The fact that kids are coming out of school without the ability to code is beyond insane to me. Kids should be tested at LEAST as much about JavaScript as they are about the Revolutionary War, or mitochondria, or the mile under 8 minutes. Kids should be taught how to code, design, and market technology. But instead they are coming out with a battery of knowledge that they forget within a year (if they don't continue to use it) which is mostly useless.

Anyway lol, that's another issue, perhaps.

Interesting thoughts on value. I'll have to mull that one around for a while.