Bribery? or a Carrot on a Stick?

Believe it or not, I love technology. I am not just a "stone knives and bear skins" guy. But I have come to believe that government uses technology as a bribe to get people to comply with the state. When I read about new inventions, I consider whether they will make life more enjoyable or not, and whether government can use them to control the population more. I also wonder if we, the average people, will even be allowed to own or use the new stuff, or if it will be reserved for appendages of the state only. I mean, what good is a flying car if the permits and licenses are based upon REAL ID, you are restricted to flying only below a certain speed, the registration is too expensive or intrusive, and GPS tracks every move you make in it. Not that I would ever be able to afford a flying car anyway. I want all the neat gadgets that are being invented, but not enough to give up my liberty, my privacy, and my individuality to be "allowed" to possess them.