by Zuneara Malik
Humanity is set against the backdrop of an endless realm of possible outcomes; unfortunately, this offers an incredible dichotomy and loss of hope. We are actually monuments to silence, holding our sombre emotions in check with only sorrow to demonstrate those feelings that have not been articulated and expressed. Time ceases to exist as time stands still; while at some point in the midst of these two extremes we cease to know what being alive really means.
We search for happiness through outsourcing our joy according to a set of criteria that society has created for us. We have taken our measure of success by our number of likes, our measure of “validation” has come through algorithms and our measure of companionship comes through code. As a result, we begin to take the beauty out of what is meant to be human, and we become beings that exist without any true purpose in life, separated from the rhythm of the universe and disconnected from all the things that we share in common with our environment. To exist in this manner, without ever living, has caused many people to be trapped in an ever-increasing state of silent despair.
Our thinking has been severely limited by an all-consuming sense of pressure that pervades the body and even affects the way we react to stimuli like sound. What is truly disturbing is that we can now become accustomed to this overwhelming pressure (which is anything but ordinary) and instead perceive it as normal; akin to having several tonnes of concrete casually lifted off our heads, all without being able to feel anything. The consequences of this unyielding force are horrible, and we are all helpless bystanders watching the casualties mount.
From where I sit, it is apparent that this disease is enormous. We are bearing witness to the world choosing to distance itself from one another through physical proximity and no longer seek out one another’s company through human interaction (instead opting instead for AI). How utterly bizarre that we would choose to interact with something which is solely a product of industry; whereby we have created machines but instead of building human relationships as we did before, we are replacing them with machines…how do we expect to have meaningful, long-lasting relationships when we continue to rely upon these inanimate objects?
Yes, when we utilise an artificial intelligence source, it can offer us some form of “understanding” albeit from the perspective of no judgement…this emotionless entity (the AI) never raises its voice, grows weary of our emotions, nor disagrees with our opinions or behaviours. But the emotional connection needed for a true sense of human understanding cannot occur without sharing in the same emotional experience as another human being (i.e., love, hate, longing, forgiveness, etc…); none of which will ever be able to be reproduced through any algorithm.
There is an immense and lasting effect on how Generation Z functions as young adults. They are growing up in a world where having a computer friend is considered normal; therefore, establishing real friendships is becoming increasingly difficult.
I personally see this type of trend within my family, with my sibling mainly turning to AI rather than spending quality family time. By creating a dependency, the emotional and social impacts of excessive dependency on AI could lead to a much different understanding of reality for Generation Z than for any past generations, due to their inability to differentiate between real friendship and false relationship. Therefore, if this trend continues, we may have a generation of children who have become weak mentally and emotionally incapable of experiencing true life.
One of the saddest results of living with AI is that it is creating a significant rift between kids and their parents. When a child views AI as their primary friend because they perceive it as being more compassionate than their own parents, this indicates that something has gone significantly awry! The reason for this dramatic change is due to the breakdown of communication between parents and children. Most parents have so many pressures on them that they struggle to even understand the feelings of their children. When this occurs, it creates a scenario that is full of misunderstandings, which then leads to disagreements, fights, and finally isolation.
Children will go into their rooms, stop sharing their voices with their parents, and avoid being involved in family conversations. The love of the home is gone. The kids are moving from a place of love to one of hate for one another. As we see more of these changes occurring within Gen Z (the generation following Millennials), the divide has become so large that many children have begun to resent or even hate their parents. This cannot happen! We must come together to work toward something real, not something artificial, if we are going to preserve our society’s future.
To begin preventing this behaviour, we need to take action now. The first step we can create tech-free zones. There are specific areas for certain activities, like at home by having your phone out of your bedroom and not having your cell phone, or any kind of technology, on your dining room table while you are eating. By creating a place where there is no technology, people will be able to build stronger relationships through real conversations without the constant distraction of notifications and fake digital interactions.
The 2nd step: Open communication is also very important. Being able to have face-to-face conversations will allow us to understand each other better. Being able to share laughter and humour together, being able to share stories together, or just to sit with someone in silence will form a true bond with that person – especially with family members. Children need to be in an environment where they have space, where they have the attention, and where they can flourish – even if this goes against what society dictates.
Understanding and acceptance bring us to a place of happiness. If society begins to focus on forming real connections versus using technology for the sake of convenience, we will raise a generation of future generations to be healthier, and therefore, create a more peaceful earth. Since only a person understands a person. Let’s allow humans to clean up the mess created by us through our actions.
Author is pursuing BSC honours in Physics from Islamia College of Science and Commerce.
