By Mark Antony Rossi
Society wants to be connected. It claims high speed internet will make us more social because communication is taking place. But what if communication is not happening as envisioned. What if these devices are only being used for complaints, bullying and voyeurism.
What if the anonymity involved kneecaps dialogue since no one in the exchange feels compelled to be forthright. The whole matter devolves into two lost souls talking back at one another without listening to a single word. How sad this strange affair reveals Homo Sapiens less capable than lower animals whom trade telemetry in more authentic fashion. I find this reality disturbing and question the quaint survival of the fittest theories espoused by Charles Darwin.
Technology in the realm of interpersonal communication has given us an illusion of reliability. The previous premise of greater communication would result in greater comprehension is one of the greatest deceptions of the 21st century. There is very little personal communication taking place in these cell call, text messages and blog sites. Machines cannot alter what is essentially a human fault of vanity best overcome when we take our starry gaze off the mirror and consider the eyes of another.
The human condition can only be modified by increased humanity. The affairs of the heart and soul remain impervious to digital intervention because joining the two presents incompatibility problems that have no technological solution. Behavior is not organic software and flesh is not another machine. These wrong-headed notions are the genesis of scientific arrogance rarely challenged but in need of institutional rebuke.
The attempted marriage of artificial and living organism is beyond the limited definition of blasphemy for it seeks to supersede the universal foundation that essentially called humanity. While it may be deemed pedestrian the final answers on how humanity repairs the human condition is be conducted in an international conference room. The humans present will promote plans to restore human dignity by limiting mechanical interference in human society. Or perhaps they will compromise our destiny in favor of digital overlords whom can only attain perfection through our eventual destruction. Whatever our fate let it be decided by humans and not silicon surrogates.
About the Author: Mark Antony Rossi is a poet, playwright and author of the bioethics volume “Dark Tech” now available from Amazon. His most recent plays have been produced in Liverpool and New York.
http://ethical-stranger.webnode.com/
Indian Periodical
Indian Periodical
Technological breakthroughs made in the realm of communication cannot be taken for granted, considering the easy ways we’ve been introduced to!
No doubt,personal interaction is capable of developing a holistic relationship!
But then, by communicating through the various avenues available to us, at least some sort of communication takes place continuously giving scope for further development of any concept!
Appreciate your comments. Machines are not substitute for the human will.