Pope condemns our culture of 'products over people'
The pontiff pontificates about immigration, climate change and technology in a TED talk.
The pope has criticised a world that prioritises products over people. Delivering a TED talk on Tuesday the head of the Catholic church called for an end to a "culture of waste" that casts aside people as well as things.
Speaking via video link from the Vatican in Rome to an audience of tech luminaries in Vancouver, Pope Francis encouraged us to remember those "who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people."
The theme of the TED event, which will also be addressed by Elon Musk and Serena Williams, is "The Future You". The pope focused on the "you" part by emphasising the need for hope and for human connection, touching on subjects such as immigration and climate change. He also called on world leaders to remember to be humble and tender.
"How wonderful would it be," he said, "if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion? How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us?"
Amen to that, your holiness.
To hear the full 17-minute message, watch the full speech below.