Hi tech security. Is it safe?

Watching sci-fi movies... First thing that comes to mind is biometric security systems. Retina scan, finger print based passwords, etc. Interesting thing is that this is not longer a fiction. You can see a lot of such systems in place already. These were meant to be safer than traditional password based systems.

But, I can't help thinking. Are they really safe? Or they are like keeping everything unprotected?

When I choose a password I keep it in my mind and no technology has been developed to read the mind or get the data out of human mind. But if I use my retina scan, anyone can scan that while I am walking on the road. I can not keep my eyes hidden. Anyone can replicate the key to my lock. When I use my finger prints, I leave the key in the restaurant where I go for food, it can be found on door handles, and I guess I leave the prints atleast at 1000 places in a single day. So, in effect, I have no way of keeping my key safe.

I would even go to the extent of comparing it with the old generation lock and key. I find even that safer as I can keep my key carefully so that I do not lose it. But all these biometric passwords are available for all to steal and make a copy. I really fail to understand how the technology creator think that all this is going to provide a secure world.

We sometimes expend a great deal of time, effort, and money to create a "high-tech" solution to a problem, but we get so immersed in technology that we forget very basic things in life.

I will close with the famous story (which I believe is a misquoted one, but message still holds):

During the space race back in the 1960's, NASA was faced with a major problem. The astronaut needed a pen that would write in the vacuum of space. NASA went to work. At a cost of $1.5 million they developed the "Astronaut Pen".

The Russians were faced with the same dilemma.
They used a pencil.