I think that more and more powerful machines do benefit society. Already it's allowing us to communicate over large distances using higher and higher quality mediums. From the text browsers of yesterday to the youtube of today. Do we need it? Of course not. All we need is a bit of oxygen, some food and some water every now and then. Granted with the use of technology like this becoming more and more commonplace, the ability and reality of increased monitoring (a supposed invasion of privacy) comes with it. (I say a 'supposed' invasion of privacy because in my opinion one should consider a conversation online about as private as a conversation on a busy street corner.)