The World is Turning Artificial
My girlfriend Addison and I were discussing Halloween costumes the other night. That immediately reminded me of figuring out what I wanted to be when I was a kid. That then led me to think about how different the world was back then. And that was only like 15–20 years ago.
Technology was making breakthroughs when my generation were kids. There were phones, computers, and other advancements in technology that hadn’t always been around. However, it wasn’t controlling everyone’s lives. People were not glued to their phones. People didn’t have a screen lighting up their face for the majority of the day. People, for the most part, used technology when it was necessary.
Slowly but surely, that started to change. Phones became more advanced, social media platforms increased what you could do on them, and pretty soon, it got to a point where you almost couldn’t function as a human in modern society without the latest smartphone.
That, to me, is a direction that we do not want to head in.
As humans, we are so obsessed with more convenience, faster, more money, better efficiency, and asking, “How can we make this more effective?” Instead of just slowing down a little bit and actually embracing what it means to be a human.
We are not robots. Why are we trying to make ourselves robots?
Why not just embrace the idea that maybe everything does not need to be more convenient, faster, or more effective? Why can’t we just embrace the idea that, as humans, we thrive on human connection? We thrive on being in nature. We thrive with time to pause and enjoy the present moment.
Speeding things up and making them more convenient comes with a major price tag. In my opinion, that price tag is the loss of the true human experience.
We are so focused on how we can get food delivered to our door faster instead of going to the restaurant with our friends and family and enjoying the meal and experience together. Or going to the grocery store and cooking a delicious and nutritious home-cooked meal with family.
Sure, it’s fine to order takeout sometimes. It can be fun and just take a load off for the night. But why are we so obsessed with implementing this into our lives in everything we do, all the time?
Innovation is great because there have been some amazing advancements. I think we have potentially taken it a little too far in some areas.
It has gotten to the point where people are so addicted to their phones that they cannot even have a conversation with someone in person. We are quickly losing our ability to connect with each other.
It will keep getting worse, too. Things will become more advanced and more advanced, and pretty soon, it won’t even feel like you are talking to real people anymore.
Maybe I am being dramatic about all of this, but it doesn’t feel that far off.
“We view each other as a nuisance rather than enjoying each other’s presence.” — Addison
The world is truly starting to feel more and more artificial. It is feeling more and more fake as the years go by.
Kids are getting screens slapped in their faces at two years old or younger. We are grooming them to fit right into the artificial world without even giving them a chance to experience being a human being.
These distractions for kids are becoming a problem, in my opinion. The more technology that is introduced to kids, the more it feels like behavioral problems have increased, the joy of playing outside has decreased, and, like I said before, the human experience is being reduced to a few different-sized screens.
Humans are humans for a reason. We aren’t robots. We are humans.
Do we really want to take this technology so far that we ruin our experience and connectedness as humans?
Do we really want to be cousins with robots?
Are we seriously that obsessed with innovation that we will ruin what it means to be a living, breathing being?
Innovation can still exist, and it will until the end of time, but I think we need to draw the line in some places.
When are we going to stop the obsession with “maximizing profits” at the expense of humans?
Can’t we just live and enjoy the things that actually matter?
Our world is becoming less happy and less fulfilled. I know I am not the only one who sees or feels this.
We are becoming sicker and sicker by the day. Certain technology is playing a huge role in that.
Get off the phone and go outside. Cancel your 10th DoorDash for the week and go eat at the restaurant. Maybe go meet a friend for coffee and keep the phone in a bag.
We are all guilty of indulging too much in technology, but I think we need to start making some changes.
It is making us less healthy and less happy.
I want to live in a natural world, not an artificial world.