Apace with the relentless progress of technology is a growing hubris, an overbearing cockiness that comes from power. Power from conquering nature, from grabbing the controls away from it. Self- determinism can be heady and intoxicating, without a doubt. It is well reflected in the direction and face of our modern philosophy. Our modern world has its techno-philosophers; our X-Gen poets and articulators. The one who impresses me greatly is Jason Silva, a live wire of a man. In high-powered capsules of poetic expression, he leaves me spellbound by his passion: Technology. All techno-philosophers, in fact, most public intellectuals are unshakably convinced about technology as the messiah of the future. Technology will deliver us humans, from, well, everything, they say. Of course, the healing powers of technology are commendable. However, this all-exclusive emphasis on it leaves me troubled. This complete dependence on cutting-edge research, the ever increasing complexity of science, it leaves me wondering.
The demand for more and more complex external tools to hack nature and reality; it leaves me horrified.
Is technology the only way to deliver humanity? In fact, is technology competent enough for that?
Futurist intellectuals are screaming out aloud, from rooftops, that humanity is the most evolved it has ever been. Most advanced in history, just because of unprecedented technological progress. Such arrogance is actually rather myopic as all arrogance always is. It seems as if our technocrats and scientists were wearing blinders.When they talk about technological advancement, do they forget about the marvels from millennia ago? Why do they chose to ignore the tremendous feat of building reflected in the giant pyramids of the Egyptian and Mayan and civilizations? Have they been able to replicate it? Can anybody in the world decode the methods of construction and the purpose of the ancient structures like the pyramids, one example among others?
Why are they not impressed by the extensive and accurate cosmology of these ancients, in spite of not having colossal satellite probes?
What about the complicated languages developed by the Vedic people which defy comprehension?
What about the advanced mathematics and sciences, or even tool making techniques in the absence of ‘advanced technology’ ?
Frankly, our technology may not be the only technology. Our sources of power and mechanization may not be the only sources of power.We might not have exploited other avenues of applied sciences, which ancient civilizations could have been aware of.
Why relegate ancient to archaic, to outdated and to less sophisticated? Because ancient technology does not look like ours?
That is like saying our language is more sophisticated than someone else’s, just because we cannot understand it.
What is the yardstick for progress and advancement, anyway? Has our technological excellence made us the happiest, most fulfilled civilization ever? Has technology ridden our civilization of all its ills? In fact, can it do that? Can our technology heave us out of the quintessential sufferings?
Can technology truly emancipate us?
We are moving towards becoming ultra-humans with our brilliant technological innovations, our techno-philosophers say. We could rise above the ‘human condition’ with technology, they are confident. Steven Kotler, the founder of the flow genome project, has been successful at decoding the chemistry and physics of the ‘flow’ state; where performance, effectiveness and the feeling of well -being are at their optimum. He ardently believes that this brilliant innovation, applied externally, will make people more productive and happy. Kudos to the brilliant idea and more to its intent, as productivity and well-being are of immense importance for our lives. However, does the coldness, the mechanistic quality of this proposition not bother you?
This ever increasing externality; the continuous alienating of ones ‘person’, from one’s own mental and physical manifestations. Does it not trouble you? Apparently, we are not enough for ourselves. We need more and more sophisticated external aids to become better versions of ourselves. The more applications my mobile has, the more appendages I carry, the more I make technology an extension of myself, the better my world will be, the happier I will become.
What will my highest version look like, then? A new person stored on a hard drive who I can download to fill in for me?
This movement called trans-humanism, it could actually be the loss of humanism. I am sure that my argument will hardly raise any eyebrows, it has become so hackneyed in its sentimentalism. What is the problem as long as the goal of moving above and beyond limitations is being achieved, you may ask. Why not?
Look, I hardly say we remain caught in our painful human condition: of lack, suffering and unhappiness. I imply that technology might not be the only way to rise above it. If technology is to solve our problems, the direction and limits of the solutions will depend on the direction and limits of technology itself, will it not?
We will only be able to go as far as technology can go. No?
What if there are other directions and greater heights than those promised by Technology?
Maybe there are.
Maybe modern technology is far more expensive, far more time consuming, and far more piecemeal than necessary. What if simulating ‘nature’ and ‘hacking’ reality could be done with the ‘tools’ we already possess? Tools which nature has already provided us! What if the happiness we think we can get with external technology is far less than what is due to us by nature? Maybe we have put a limit on how much we can diminish our suffering.
Maybe we do not know better.
Maybe there is an unknown- unknown; both in the level of achievement and type. Our external technology may seem powerful, but it could actually be an inferior way. Is there such an alternative?
Maybe.
There could be other ways to transcend limitations, to make us ultra-humans. Ways which might not be limited by the limits of technology. Ways with abilities to far surpass technology’s promises. Also, ways where we are enough for ourselves, needing no expensive external crutches.
Another way to achieve more prosperity, more freedom, more fulfilment. More meaning and purpose. Another way to release us from societal, cultural ills. Another way to tackle the colossal global problems of war, illiteracy and poverty. Another way to help ameliorate the human condition. Another way for the emancipation human life.
Another way, for all and more than the promises of modern technology.