When will technological innovation end and can we ever return to real values?
As human beings, we would like to believe that the real true value of our existence is our humanity, however, with the booming technology that surrounds us, infiltrating our daily lives; it can make one wonder if we will eventually lose what makes us human. This raises the question of how far technology is willing to go, and whether it will ever destroy what should be cherished, our humanity. We have come so far, possibly too far, and it seems doubtful that we can ever return to modest times without devastation, and would we ever want to?
It seems like every two months a newer, better, faster computer is ready for the market, or what about cell phones, now there’s a device that, if we’re honest with ourselves, has completely taken over our lives; we feel utterly lost without that little gadget, particularly an iPhone or a Blackberry, because it pretty much stores our entire life on its tiny memory card, from address book to turning off the lights on the Christmas tree. These gadgets are just a few of the many gadgets available to buy for those of us who can afford them to make our lives “fuller,” move faster, easier and, shall we say, happier, or so we think and like to believe.
For example, even though bad weather can be devastating and frustrating, there is both humor and regret in the fact that when there is no electricity, we cannot function. Okay, we can handle it for a day, maybe two, but if there’s still no power on the third day, things start to get dangerous and tempers start to change and eventually erupt in discontent. Sure, some computers have mega batteries, which cost a small fortune, and at some point they will run out of power. Generators can help, but most people use them for more essential needs, such as heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, water heating, or cooking. They cannot run an entire household 24/7. Cell phones will hold on to little or no use, or they will run out of batteries and be useless until turned back on to charge. In other words, the entertainment is practically negligible and that makes the campers not so happy. Most of us no longer have any idea how to survive without our technological innovations that make our lives so much more convenient and hassle free.
Unfortunately, this may just be the tip of the perpetual “iceberg,” and humans’ reliance on technology is indeed a disturbing thing. However, as research would lead you to believe, by the year 2020 “emerging computing technologies will change our lives for the better”, but the “key” will be for us as humans to “retain control of decision-making processes”. There is a terrifying thought; It makes one think of those sci-fi movies of yesteryear that don’t seem so otherworldly anymore. Although, in all honesty, certain nations have been developing and may have successfully achieved means of mind control, but one would like to think that it would not be meant for the common Joe. Yet it is something that no one, or thing, should have the authority, let alone the right, to be so empowered to achieve.
According to ScienceDaily in an article dated April 4, 2008, “By 2020, we will still be reading paper books and magazines, but we will also be using paper-like digital displays to distribute content. For example, the ‘paper’ used in books and magazines can be digitized on folding screens that we can put in our pockets, and our clothing can be capable of health diagnostics.Inexpensive and easily accessible digital storage will enable consumers to electronically record and store more aspects of their lives, enabling them to share information and interact with people around the world. This hyper-connectivity frees us from landlines, desks and offices, while advances in robotics develop the computer’s ability to learn and make decisions.” Although, obviously, “the interaction between humans and computers is evolving into a complex ecosystem where small changes can have far-reaching consequences. While new interfaces and hyper-connectivity mean we are increasingly mobile, we can see that they are erasing the line between work and personal space”.
In a report, titled “Being Human: Human-Computer Interaction in the Year 2020,” it is emphasized that without proper monitoring and evaluation, we, as individuals and as a whole, may no longer be in control of ourselves. or the world around us, and that this prospectively puts the computer in conflict with basic human values and concepts such as personal space, society, identity, independence, perception, intelligence, and privacy.
Containing different recommendations, this report states: “The final recommendation is something we should all aspire to: By 2020, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) will be able to engineer and support differences in human value, regardless of financial means.” of those looking for those values. In this way, the future can be different and diverse because people want it to be.” Well, let’s fervently hope so…