99th Edition
The world is way too reliant on technology. And it’s getting worse. Let me share this quite embarrassing personal experience…
The day after Christmas I got locked inside my car. The battery died and when that happens, the car doors lock and there is no way to open them from the inside. My car was packed to the gills. I had plenty of food, my iPad, and a couple books to read, and the temperature outside was moderate. The only immediate problem was that I knew, at my advanced age, I would eventually have to go to the bathroom. It’s funny now, it wasn’t then. To make a long story short, I got out of the car through the passenger side door, climbing over a cooler, and a couple of pairs of golf shoes.
The entire fiasco could have been avoided if my car had the old-fashioned cranks, or if the vehicle wasn’t inundated and completely dependent upon electronics and high technology. But each year new cars get more technology-dependent. Driverless cars are already here, which to me, is simply the worst thing imaginable. A solution in search of a problem if there ever was such a thing.
I’m not a fan of Artificial Intelligence either. With all the excitement surrounding the expanding use of AI, I’m wondering whether there will be unintended consequences of finding the answer immediately that we will eventually regret. Will AI lead us to jump to conclusions too quickly? Will we forget how to ponder, how to pause or reflect? Does AI help us discern truth from fiction? An important question given the constant barrage of ridiculous soundbites, tweets, posts, opinions and rants by angry talking heads that we face every day.
Could too much reliance on AI result in a form of intellectual surrender. Instead of deliberate contemplation and a hesitancy to rush to judgment, that can lead to more thoughtful conclusions, AI might offer an easier path, especially when it reinforces preconceived notions. No reason to challenge or rethink current viewpoints. AI need not preclude discernment, but it can if we rely on it too much.
Which brings me to the scourge of humanity also known as the smart phone. It is more addicting than cigarettes, and perhaps more damaging to a person’s health. Touted as a device that would unite us, it has proven to do just the opposite. Tied to another disastrous technological invention, social media, the smart phone has led to increased anxiety, suicidal tendencies, interpersonal strife, and related mental illnesses. Did I mention how much I despise technology?
Last but certainly not least is what everyone dreads – automated computer-generated call centers. Have you tried to get a real person on the phone to answer a question about your prescription renewal, a problem with your Wi-Fi connection, of some electronic device you recently purchased? How about obtaining information about social security or health insurance? Good luck reaching a live human being. This is what technology has done to how service after the sale is provided in nearly every industry. Is that a good thing? I don’t think so…
I don’t see any way all these disturbing trends won’t continue to get worse. It may not be too long before we are all equipped with computer chips controlling our thoughts and responses. The technology exists today to make a composite being, part human, part computer. And we can make this being live almost indefinitely. Is this progress? Not to me it isn’t.
I cherish the moments when I can unplug, slow down and just let my thoughts wander. It is in these quiet, still moments that the mystery of God’s Kingdom starts to make sense. The immensity and timelessness of it all. How small and inconsequential I am in comparison. But then I remember that I am loved by our amazing God, which is a pretty cool thing. The Holy Spirit works in the same way that it always has, independent of any technology or man-made contraption. Which is also a pretty cool thing…
Please help me grow my readership by forwarding this to a friend(s). In the meantime, stay tuned for my next newsletter. Thanks
Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.