Technology and Humanity

As the sun rises, so do new technologies emerge. Mankind, in its bid to make life easier, experiments with technology. Today, transportations, communications, healthcare, and businesses have been boosted because of technological inventions. People are no longer afraid of deadly diseases since their cures have been discovered. Surgeries are also becoming more successful because mankind has developed devices that help in operations. Technology has also made manual work easier. For instance, in road construction, machines have helped in making works faster, easier and better. In businesses too, tech has aided entrepreneurs to increase their sales by making advertisements and other forms of business communications more effective. However, it is beginning to appear as if machines are taking up the space, jobs, and lives meant for humans.

There is no arguing that machines are increasing the rate of unemployment in the world. Thanks to tech, a machine can do the work meant for several persons and still do it better and faster. What is more, machines are cheaper to maintain when compared to human labour. Who knows, maybe in the next ten years, more machines than human beings will become employees. But now that the population of the world is increasing, what will become of the human race when the world’s economy is in the hands of a few because they own machines that think like humans? How will people survive if their sources of living were taken from them by their creation? What will happen to the impending global unemployment by the time machine era comes to life the same way we see them in sci-fi? This is time for all to go into sombre reflections before progressing with more inventions.

Today, we hear of armed drones used in combat. These are devices unmanned by humans except for those controlling them remotely. These machines have no conscience and, therefore, bat no eyelids when they open fire or throw bombs on people. Remember that drones are just one of the few military technologies we know because only God knows what these scientists and technologists have been putting together as they get ready for war that is yet to be provoked. But I believe we need to reflect on the constant creation of military technology and its impending threat on humanity. It is time for us to ask, why these people are spending huge amounts of money making these weapons and military devices. We need to find out where they hoped to use them. We should question what they plan to do with them if there was no provocation to use them. We should start reflecting on why countries should arm themselves when there is no war, yet, unless they plan to incite one. Of course, the presence of these technological devices is enough motivation to incite wars because their creators will be itching to have them tested. Is that what technology should be all about? Are we to destroy humanity with what we created with our own hands?

Tech has also made it easier for fraudsters to locate and hurt their victims. The emergence of internet banking has birthed another demon for mankind. Many people have lost their life savings because a fraudster gained access to their PINs and/or other vital information. These fraudsters find it easier to disappear if their fraud were done through cryptocurrencies. This is to say that what makes our life easier can also make them bad. Like my people say, what is sweet is also harmful.

There is no need pointing out all the ways technological innovations can harm and/or replace humanity. This essay is not out to condemn technology or to discourage inventions. It is out to caution discoveries that might cause more harm than good. Honestly, there is a need to sit back to evaluate if these machines are going to take over this world one day or, maybe, destroy it. The way they are celebrated today, I won’t be surprised if people prefer dealing and living with machines to their fellow humans in no distant time.

So what should we do?

There is nothing else for innovators to do other than to develop technology that will boost humanity and not replace it. Competition to develop most efficient machines should be geared towards finding machines that can work with humans. Our inventors should think humanity first before going ahead with their creations. If what they are about to make doesn’t add value to mankind (not investors this time), they should desist from creating them.