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I will present the outline of a non-deterministic theory of modern society, which I call “critical technology theory.” This alternative approach emphasizes the impact of the technology's contextual aspects on its design. I will argue that technology is not just the rational control of nature; both its development and its impact are intrinsically social. I will show that this perspective substantially undermines the usual reliance on efficiency as an explanation of technological development, in both optimistic and dystopian narratives of modernity. Such a conclusion, in turn, opens up wide possibilities for changes that have been excluded by the usual understanding of technology.