It’s the dawn of a new era, they say. An era where technology keeps getting better, providing us with unprecedented efficiencies that we could not have previously imagined. Talking to bots, scrolling on media platforms, and watching endless short videos have become the order of the day. And while nobody can deny that technology has benefited us in numerous ways, connecting billions of people across the globe, it has also aided in silencing our voices and is slowly but steadily muting our expression of authenticity.
The advent of chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Deep Seek, to name a few, are tools that have been designed to assist with providing everything from serious, mind-boggling phrases to humorous one-liners and pre-written speeches in a matter of minutes. Yet, these very “tools” are now diminishing the creative power of humanity. Quite ironic, isn’t it! I’m sure many think that just typing in a prompt and getting the answer at your finger tips, rather than spending hours exploring ideas in our mind, is the way to go. After all efficiency is what it’s about right?
Has it ever been considered that our reliance on digital tools and virtual interactions may be serving to diminish who we are? I mean, it has become rather easy to communicate with anybody at any time with all the social media platforms, messaging apps, and video conferencing tools that have become available. However, the conversations have been reduced to emojis, likes, and tweets. Heck, even brawls aren’t brawls anymore, with keyboard gangsters taking center stage.
In this digital age, we speak more but say less. The face-to-face interactions, where tone, body language, and silence carry meaning, have been replaced by a vast array of screens. More especially WhatsApp, which is now responsible for setting up meetings and is utilized for social conversations without actually talking. All this results in a world where the endless notifications and algorithms have successfully drowned out the human voice, creating an illusion of connectedness.
All you have to do is look at social media to see the power that technology has bestowed upon us, providing us with everything necessary to curate our own realities with idealized versions of ourselves that have stifled our authenticity and vulnerability. All this for a couple of likes and constant validation. The algorithms on these platforms ensure the constant stream of content is maintained in line with our preferences and will give you a few other options as well, to add to the list so that you don’t veer from your device for too long. The content promises to keep you transfixed in a world where we remain unchallenged, with no diversity of thought or understanding of different perspectives.
A world that steals the present moment, for we are so engrossed in mind-numbing scrolling that we become oblivious to what’s happening around us. Whatever happened to having open conversations with opposing views being addressed between parties that agree to disagree? Being unchallenged dilutes our ability to understand and identify with those who have alternative viewpoints to ours, and to seek logical solutions around differing perspectives. It sadly seems like the time for dialogue has come to an end, and empathy is a thing of the past.
It is amazing to see that many have embraced cowardice as their vibe in recent times. Who would have thought that an intelligent species would stoop to this level? In some instances, indiscreet words are randomly spat out on WhatsApp statuses, leaving the reader to wonder who those words were actually intended for. Now, I know that some confrontations can be harmful and might lead to death—just kidding! But jokes aside, confrontational interactions, when done constructively, allow us to manage situations amicably and help us as people achieve closure. But I guess it is much easier to hide behind a screen and anonymously spread misinformation or become a cyberbully because of the shield that technology provides.
Now, the ardent technology fans might argue that technology has encouraged the voicing of opinions through content creation platforms, such as TikTok. However, the content produced is shaped in order to gain popularity, so again, authenticity is sacrificed for likes, shares, and followers. The content created is focused more on what they deem will be popular and what one wants to hear, as opposed to what they truly believe, resulting in a wave of monotony, where individuality is lost in their quest for online approval.
Despite these challenges, there is hope. And no, I am not going to provide a list of tips to reclaim your space in the digital world. You need to use your creative thinking to cultivate ways of not allowing technology to take away that which is precious to all humanity. Because you see, technology is not inherently good or bad. It is simply a tool, and its impact depends on how much power we give to it. So, technology, with all its airs and graces, is here to stay and advance to higher levels at a rapid pace. It is up to us, as individuals, to really sit back and think about our purpose as human beings. Will we allow technology to overshadow our creativity, silence our voices, and turn us into sheep, or will we, as the human race, take our place in this world, allow our voices to be heard, and stand up for our convictions in the flesh?
