Technology is Ruining Humanity.
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My name is Rishabh Singh. I am a 16-year-old high school student. My interests are in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. I am also the creator of Project MNMS. However, as a student for 11 years and an avid user of technology for 16 years, I wanted to share with you the opinion on technology from the perspective of a member of the first Generation to grow up in the new Millenium.
Yep. You’ve got it right. None of that Medium Clickbait. None of that deceptively alluring rhetoric. Plain and simple. Technology is ruining humanity.
Notice. I did not say Technology is ruining our world. In fact, technology has allowed our world to industrialize and grow to extremes unimaginable. Nor did I say that technology is ruining our lives when the truth is that it has doubled and even tripled our life spans over the last 200 years. Instead, I said, “Technology is ruining humanity.”
Today, we are going to take a closer look at humanity. We are also going to explore the vast macrocosm that is technology and analyze how we use technology. Only then will we be able to fully understand “Why?”. Why is technology ruining humanity?
Humanity
The definition of Humanity according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “Humanity - noun- The state of being human.” According to Dictionary.com, it is “ the quality or condition of being human; human nature” and perhaps the most enlightening is Cambridge’s definition of “people in general”. As far as I can tell the demand for trying to please everyone does not do dictionaries much good. So here is my own definition of humanity, subject to discussion of course, “A strata of Animalia who can both logically and emotionally assess the value of life.”
Let me explain why I chose that definition. Why do people learn? To better understand their world. Why better understand the world? Because they live in it. Why do people build? To augment the world. Why augment the world? Because they live in it. Why do people lie? To try and gain an advantage in the world. Why try and gain an advantage in the world? Because they live in it!
There is one recurring theme: Life. The only reason people do things is that life gives them the opportunity to do so. Which by extent, whether they know it or not, implies that people value their life. If this weren’t true, then why would people even try to advance this world one innovation, one book, one discovery, one composition at a time? There is a simple answer: They wouldn't.
“Humanity — noun — A strata of Animalia who can both logically and emotionally asses the value of life.”
Technology
Technology is all around us from our phones to our tablets, from our homes to our workplaces, from our desks to our schools, from our … yes, yes I am sure you get it. The point is that technology is so pervasive in our everyday life that it is impossible to get away from it.
Technology has increased our lifespans, our quality of life, the quality of our environment, the ease in our life, the information we access to, yadda yadda yadda. I am sure you have heard the speel.
Technology is an important tool and has always been an important tool. It has been human nature to use technology constantly in order to improve ourselves and our society.
What I am trying to get to here, is that technology is good. So then why did I say it was ruining humanity? Well, that is up to humanity itself.
Use
It’s how humans use technology that is so devastating.
Humans, especially the newer generations, cannot get away from their phones or laptops fast enough. Technology is integrated into every part of their lives. If you are a gamer you spend 5 hours a day in front of a console. If you are a high achieving student you spend another 3 hours a day in front of your computer. Not to mention keeping up with your lives on your phones!
As a teen myself just thinking about it makes me suffocated. I rarely get time to enjoy the real world. When I do. It is almost like my brain is still watching TV or reading a screen. It’s doing what it knows how to do best. Most of us don’t know how to interact in the real world or with our environment.
With the advent of social media, this has gotten even worse. We receive the same feeling socializing on the internet than with others, however, we are still isolating ourselves from physical contact. These phones are turning us into non-empathic couch potatoes.
This passive use of Technology is the reason technology is ruining our Humanity. Our definition of humanity is, “Humanity — noun — A strata of Animalia who can both logically and emotionally asses the value of life.” This “epidemic” isn’t allowing my generation to truly embrace our humanity. This is why I have created Project MNMS. A collection of solutions that will ensure that newer generations understand how technology plays into their lives. As a tool, not reality.
Project MNMS
Modern Nightmares Modern Solutions. Framing Technology as a tool, not a reality. Project MNMS is a lot of things. Mainly it is a blog, focusing on Problems, Solutions, and Parental Solutions. Problems focus on how an overbearing dependence on technology can be detrimental to society. For example, how social media addiction occurs. Solutions focus on teaching newer generations on how to use technology constructively. For example, programming tutorials and video editing guides. Parental Solutions are guides for parents on how to frame technology for their children. As a tool, not a reality.
To extend on the idea of using technology as a tool. Project MNMS has released a Course Hub on their website. This Course Hub is full of various tutorials — made in-house and out. These tutorials allow us to really encourage the youth to learn more about how certain technologies work and how to use it as a tool, instead of the be all and end all of everything.
In order to fully capture the momentum of this movement. Project MNMS also houses a “Creationeer” program. This program is targeted towards high school students. In which these candidates get the opportunity to spread Project MNMS in their communities as leaders, as well as, get the chance to work on the blog and video channels for the site to gain a first-hand experience using these technologies.
Please take a look at Project MNMS and help us change the mindset of humanity! Man built the computer, but soon the computer will take over man. We need to look at technology as a tool, not a lifestyle, as a medium, not a reality.
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