The Journey Inwards

The problem’s plain to see

Too much technology

Machines to save our lives

Machines, de-humanize – Mr. Roboto, Styx

Recorded in 1982, Mr. Roboto is one of those songs that never ceases to spur reflection in my mind. It leads me to think about, in a serious way, the growing presence of technology in our day-to-day lives. There is no doubt that advancements in technology since the Industrial Revolution have improved the general quality of life for a great many people, but it would be foolish for us to ignore the nefarious consequences technology has had just in the 20th century for example. I do not want to engage in a tirade against technological progress or innovation here. I would be a hypocrite if I did go the full distance in condemning technology since I am guilty of having purchased televisions, laptops, phones, and video game consoles just in the first twenty years of my life. Instead, I want to talk about what it means to be human.

Our humanity, a thing so fragile, but also a product of history. It is fragile in the sense that if we do not take responsibility for it and cultivate it, we are destined to lose it. You may criticize my tone for being almost apocalyptic, but bear with me and hear me out. I am expressing an opinion after all, and it is not uncommon for me to be stirred by passion and conviction, as often happens to all of us when we are engaged with those things we love. I am talking about our humanity, I remind you. It belongs to us all. Though it is a shared among us, each one of us contributes to it by being our own person. In being our own person I mean cherishing our individuality, and in so doing, being able to cherish the individuality of other human beings. What is involved here is self-respect and a respect for others, both of which are intimately tied together.

Together, collectively you may say, the picture of the human species is  – as what multiculturalists term –  a ‘mosaic’. It is a mosaic always changing and always in flux. We cannot say what it will look like in twenty years or in two thousand years. One reason for this is because in two thousand years none of us who currently belong to the human species will be alive. We will have all perished. We will be history. But let us speak of now, of our times.

I said that humanity is a product of history. What I mean is that we are a product of the past, not only the actions of our parents in creating us, but in a larger sense, in the actions of all human beings who have preceded us. What it means to be human, philosophically and psychologically speaking, has developed over time. As such, I assume it will continue to change with time.

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of reflecting on our humanity. We must contemplate and think about this critical topic. Of course some people do, but some is not enough. If everyone took a small part of their day, just fifteen to twenty minutes to meditate on their day, their choices and actions, and their aspirations, then life may likely be more fulfilling for many people.

The old adage that nothing good lasts forever rings in my mind as I write these words. We have a lot of potential. When we set our minds to something who knows what we can discover or create. But we, as inhabitants of the computer age, must not give up what it means to be human. Culture, the arts, the knowledge we have gained with time, and even the degree to which we are attuned to things spiritual all define the human condition. We must not lose these things.