My mom always said this: “People are better than computers.” But as a middle schooler I thought I knew better and instantly dismissed the proposition. Later, I realized that my mom had a point.
photo by Priscilla Du Preez from Unsplash
I believe that 21st century western culture has conditioned my generation (Generation “z”) to take the path of least resistance. When we’re confronted with the choice between asking “stupid question” vs asking “Siri,” technology seems to win everytime. I've observed this phenomena isn’t merely the case in high risk scenarios. In my experience, this plays out in low and arguably no risk environments.
Not only do we avoid serarios that make us look “dumb” or “ignorant” with those we know, but also with complete strangers. Perhaps high-stakes environments have conditioned us to act similarly in the low risk environments, and I believe this subtle shift in behavior deserves our attention.
We’ve been given an incredible gift with technology and with it we’ve been bestowed practically infinite knowledge. We can learn anything we put our minds to, any knowledge we desire we can claim for little to no cost, raising the question, "why do we attend college?" But that's a question for another time. Similar to the engineers who began erecting the tower of Babel, we have the technology and opportunity to achieve previously unimaginable results, utilizing the combined power of all people, everywhere, simultaneously.
We’ve literally surpassed the heights of Babel’s tower (NASA). Scientists are researching the possibilities of digital consciousness and immortality, cloning, and cyborg technology (Neuralink). We’re blazing forward, progressing rapidly in technological achievements with no signs of slowing down until we’ve achieved these feats.I find these research projects fascinating.
However, observing history gives me pause. Cultures that blazed ahead in progress and development without God have fallen, whether Babel, Rome, Alexander the Great's empire, or the British empire.
We live in an experiment. Our country was founded on rebellion, colonization, and slavery, all in the name of “religious freedom.” Our constitution seems to be written from a place of religious conviction. Regardless, that history has led us to this moment, we’ve come a long way and technology has fundamentally changed the shape of our culture: how we work, how we learn, how we rest, and how we interact. The invention and development of the internet and it’s companion: the smartphone, has taken the world by storm with seemingly no way back. We’re living in a new reality, one we've developed.
Why does this matter? And why would we engage in conversation and inquiry that is almost guaranteed to be embarrassing or make us appear ignorant? Siri is less judgy, objectively faster, and designed to give us a “scientific” or at least a democratically popular response, such as the algorithm that promotes news articles on social media. These algorithms (within Google, Youtube, & Facebook) are designed to promote posts with the highest level of user engagement (The Social Dilemma).
However, despite the obvious flaws of this system, which have led to the spread of objectively false news and misinformation such as (and I hope we can agree on the false nature of this) the flat earth theory. So, as reliable and trustworthy as Siri tends to be, it’s important to recall that even the most advanced tech cannot discern truth from lies without human input. People are biased and generally spend a lot of time arguing over the truth. However, I think we’ll find more value asking a friend their belief about the meaning of life and what they think of us as a friend, then if we entered this question into Google. So, maybe you already know this, but you may still be on the fence about how we interact with strangers.
Why would you ask a local for directions in an unfamiliar area when Google maps is just a click away? There are several benefits we rob ourselves of when we choose tech over people, even strangers. This person may receive the benefit of sharing their expert knowledge of their home. This experience may be uplifting and encouraging, rather than annoying or frustrating as we may assume or claim as an excuse to disengage with a fellow image-bearer.
On the other side, you may receive the benefit of their intimate knowledge of the area, they may suggest a superior hotel or restaurant to the one you’d previously selected, they may recommend a dish or provide a name to ask for. These details are personal and intimate and actually rather difficult or impossible to discover online. This is merely one example, but this is not limited to the glowing rectangle in your pocket, nor a complete stranger. This applies to the cashier vs the self checkout, or the bank clerk vs the ATM machine, asking your waiter for a recommendation vs relying solely on online reviews.
These all entail certain social risks, but I refuse to believe that my generation is defined by fragility, comfort, and risk aversion. Take these risks, especially the small ones and see where it may lead, put your phone down, lift your head, and if you don’t know what to say, I’d recommend starting with, “Hello.” You may find yourself challenged uniquely, but you may also find yourself in situations where with particular opportunities for encouragement, kindness, and perhaps a chance to share something personal, and perhaps God may even give you a chance to share the Gospel. People are better than computers!