The term “Trojan horse” refers to deceptively benign computer codes that cause harm or steal personal information. Just as the ancient Greeks used a wooden horse to deceive Troy, we often rush into embracing technology without caution. While technology can improve our lives, we should be mindful of its consequences. In Part 1, we discussed the need for a balanced approach to technology and its impact on our quality of life. Now, in Part 2, we delve deeper into the Trojan horse of technology, exploring its effects on various aspects of our lives.
THE TROJAN HORSE OF TECHNOLOGY
I remember a time when we used our mental faculties better because we relied on our innate abilities to navigate, calculate, think, research, and connect the dots. The generation after me cannot do the mental maths I can do – they need to use a calculator for everything. The generation after me cannot drive without Google Maps. They haven’t learned to look for landmarks, gauge a map, or ask for directions. If there is no Wi-Fi, they cannot drive. I used to write articles by researching books. I had, and still have, libraries, and I love touching my books and reading from old books. The wisdom from them is unimaginable.
The younger generation cannot do this because every single question they have is answered with the touch of a button from Google. The danger of that is one entity controls ALL of its information, and it can censor whatever it deems censorship-worthy, depending on who owns it and what agenda it wants to push.
How sad it is that the innate brilliance we have as human beings is no longer there. Our ability to survive has been weakened by technology. How can this possibly help us?
I remember a time when the products I bought were solid and lasted for years. Manufacturers were not trying to rip us off and make things wear out on purpose just so we would buy them again.
Companies took pride in the products they made, and advertising slogans were based on how their products would last longer, providing more value for your money. Cars were like tanks, such as my Volvo 240. I still have it after 30 years, and it still runs. You can get into an accident, and it will hardly have a dent.
The technology back then was smarter. We had a thick rubber bumper that could withstand numerous knocks without breaking or bending. Your car could turn over and spin, and you would come out alive. Now cars are made as flimsy as fabric; one impact, and you need to replace an entire car part.
Today, I read about a young boy who took his i7 BMW car out for a spin, lost control, and the car burst into flames, killing both passengers. That would never have happened with the 30-year-old Volvo 240.
Phones were sturdy and durable. They made calls, which is what phones were supposed to do. Now, you spend £8,000 on a smartphone that acts like a camera, scanning machine, advertising hack, book, entry pass to buildings using QR codes, and tracking device (mostly to track you). It becomes obsolete within three years, and you need to buy the charger and cables separately. If this is not robbery, I don’t know what it is. Why is this happening? How is technology helping us?
I remember a time when doctors did not need machines to diagnose you. Machines were the last option. Doctors used to ask questions, examine you, connect the dots from what you ate to your allergies, consider the weather, and take into account your body type. They tried to treat you first without excessive medication, using basic treatment or a combination of allopathic and modern drugs.
Now it seems they cannot function without a machine to tell them what is wrong. You go in with a digestive problem, and the first thing they say, even before touching you, is “We need to do an endoscopy. That will cost £3,000. Then we’ll figure out what is wrong with you.”
Yes, that happened to me. What has happened to doctors who used to make house calls with just a doctor’s bag and solve many family illnesses about 50 years ago? How is technology helping?
They say technology helps by making everything faster. How important is that compared to human ingenuity, kindness, compassion, and connection? Yes, I can transfer money faster, but only a limited amount. For anything significant, I still have to go to a bank. And now they want to go cashless, which means less human interaction, more machines, and everyone paying more interest to banks.
This headlong rush into technology needs to be closely monitored and approached intelligently to ensure human survival over technology. It may make our lives easier, but does it? The question to ask is, what have we replaced for comfort and speed? Are we trading our soul, all that makes us beautifully and gloriously human, in exchange for a few bits of entertainment, some speed, and a perceived efficiency?
Remember the Trojan horse. In computing terms, it is malware that pretends to be something it isn’t to lure you into destruction. In The Odyssey, it was the deception that destroyed the once impenetrable Troy.
We are at a crucial time in the history of humanity. We are at a precipice where we can destroy ourselves, annihilate everything human, and enter a world of transhumanism and AI, or we can take a step back, reclaim our senses and human abilities, and spend more time doing what we love instead of being immersed in a virtual world of running, jumping, doing, and existing in loops.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune. Feedback can reach the writer at beatrice@ibrasiagroup.com
