While it was a small sample size of a few thousand, it was pretty interesting to hear that 20% of Gen-Zers have given up on relationships with humans in favour of relationships with AIs. I don't know how accurate it is, but hey - even if it is 5%, that is still incredibly high, isn't it?
WTF is wrong with people today ...
I have oft been told I focus too much on the negatives of society, but the fact is that we are all part and parcel of the same environment and we are all affected by each other. For example, victims of crime aren't limited to the suburbs of criminals, it travels. Our social behaviours travel too, as does the culture and the repercussions. We can try to insulate ourselves, but at the end of the day - we are all exposed to the worst of us.
But I do get it, because we are geared to see what we pay attention to, which means the more we see of it, the more we will see of it, and I see a lot of negatives in the world today. I should definitely find some more sources of beauty and awesomeness to balance the scales a bit, but I feel it is getting harder and harder to find those bright points. Is it because there are less of them, are they disappearing, or is it just because I look past them?
What do you think?
While I used to be the town optimist, these days I find optimists quite delusional, considering the trajectory the world is taking. I don't see a lot of positive gain happening in the things that actually matter, because the majority of resources we have available are directed in to activities that do not seed positive crops. We reap what we sow and what we are sowing is leading us into changes that at least at this point, look like they are going to cause a lot of suffering. And the more people suffer, the less people care.
I have a theory that I have voiced before where I believe that the lower the value of the people of a country, the more likely that country will be attacked. Why I think this is because a country has resources and if the value of the people is as low as the value of the land, then it can be attacked and the people lost, without losing the value of the land. However, if the value of the people is much higher than the value of the land resources, then attacking the country will mean losing the majority of the value. That is an oversimplification, but think it through a bit.
But, with the changes in technology, humans are being devalued. We are becoming increasingly useless economically, but also socially. This means that even if we had a technological utopia that could provide for us all, we are not adding any value in any other areas. Maybe we could change the course we are on, but currently, people are devaluing themselves by choice, as they push away from human connection and relationships in favour of the sanitized world of digital connection.
The less connected, the less missed.
Ever thought about that? I have. For instance, people in a workplace who are fully remote can get fired, and no one really even notices that they are gone. Their tasks just change hands, or often today, gets automated by an AI. But it is the same for many people where over the last few decades someone can die in their apartment alone, and no one misses them enough to find them for months. And I see the direction of many people like those who are choosing AI relationships heading down the same path. They can disappear, and they won't be missed. They could be murdered and buried in a shallow grave, and no one would notice they are gone at all.
Quite a morbid portrayal.
But if you think about how much of society operates today, many people can be a regular patron of a particular restaurant, but have never set a foot inside, met a waitperson, or seen another customer, because they order through an app and have it delivered to their door. Same with their shopping, and their clothing, and whatever else they order. These people are spending money, but they aren't creating connections. They have devalued themselves as a member of the community, and reduced themselves to the value of their demand. That value can disappear, but it is just a number on the spreadsheet, no human attached to it.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel | Maya Angelou
An interesting quote to reflect on, considering that in order to save our own feelings, we are disconnecting from each other in so many ways that we will soon no longer be able to make an one else feel anything, because we have no contact with them. It is happening at all levels too, with the depth of relationships shallowing, as people turn to their screens, rather than looking into each other's eyes. And because we are disconnecting, e become less caring about others anyway, meaning we will more likely make them feel bad, and they make us feel bad - which will provide the evidence and reason for further disconnection.
We have screwed society.
Now we are screwing robots.
We won't be missed.
Taraz
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