By ARUN KUMAR RAMASAMY
Human beings have three main components: body, mind and soul (heart). In other words, we have a physical state connected to the body, a mental state connected to the mind, and an emotional state connected to the heart.
Each of these three components grow over time and are subject to change and influence from our external environment (and this includes the people around us).
The food that we consume, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the atmosphere around us affect the way we turn out physically over time.
Similarly, our mental state is also shaped by the information we feed our mind on a daily basis.
The struggles of not being able to cope with the realities of life, and the lack of support in such capacities can contribute towards mental stress.
This is like torsion in solid mechanics, which is the act of twisting an object. Eventually, the object will snap. So does the mind under immense stress.
Our emotional state is a direct and indirect result of our exposure to various experiences in life.
These experiences influence how we approach particular situations in the future.
Measures and regulations for order
The mystery surrounding the human heart and mind are continually being explored till today.
This continuous research, combined with advancements in technology, is why we have been able to provide support through counselling, psychology and psychiatry for those who need it.
Over time, we have exercised preventive measures to help ensure a healthy and safe environment for everyone.
Rules and regulations were carefully implemented over time, therefore enabling governance to create a safe space for everyone, be it at home, schools or any public settings.
For instance, cars are fairly easy to drive but a minimum age limit was introduced before an individual can legally drive.
Calculators were invented to speed up calculations. However, in schools, students are only allowed to use them once they are of a certain age.
We didn’t prepare for this!
As technology advanced rapidly over time, we simply couldn’t adapt fast enough to keep up.
As a result, we have slowly let go of the need for certain regulations to govern newer technologies.
That came at a heavy price when now, we had access to pretty much anything at any time from the Internet.
By the time the consequences were realised, it was a little too late to regulate the use of the Internet. (And honestly speaking, the web browser security settings don’t quite cut it.)
As inappropriate sharing of materials soared, malwares and viruses began to hit personal computers at a large scale and data breach gave way to the loss of personal data and privacy.
Before we knew it, we had a global crisis on our hands. Before the world could even begin to recover from such a crisis, technology was already advancing into its next phase of innovation.
The scenario today
We are now living in what is known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Surrounded by complex components that are heavily gratified for their technological brilliance, we have become collectively blinded to the social implications these technologies carry.
Gone are the days when “control” was still an option available, although most of us ignored it.
Today we have intelligent advertising boards that look at us, recognise our gender, age group and mental or emotional states based on facial expression analysis and change the display advertisement or message in real time.
The successful replication of a physical social environment onto a social network slowly eliminated the need to engage in a physical conversation.
We have entered a time when being human is considered awkward, thanks to the wonders of technological breakthroughs.
How does this affect us?
Collectively, these rapid changes in the way the world operates are subconsciously affecting us.
We are slowly neglecting the importance of being physically, emotionally and mentally present for one another as humans.
Our over-reliance on technology has rewired our thought processes to focus on things that never used to be priorities in life.
We seem to be outsourcing our humanity to technology, mindlessly depending on it to be human to one another.
The absence of rules, regulations, governance and accountability has taken a major toll on us, and if not dealt with now, will only continue to have adverse effects on the future generations.
We must consider the future, taking into account the importance of ensuring our identities as human beings are not lost in the midst of technology advancements.
The question of how a new technology will affect me and my children in the future should constantly be posed and deliberated among all stakeholders.
What we can do
All this begins with awareness, which is only made possible through the transfer of knowledge, wisdom and values within the society.
The only way to keep identities alive is to constantly identify it. The past generations should make it a goal to educate and nurture the younger ones with the foundations of humanity.
The younger generation should be open to learning and growing with the awareness that not everything can be found on Google.
As communities become alive through the sharing of knowledge and experiences, the hope lives on that we will never forget our identity.
We shouldn’t allow our physical, mental and emotional state to be affected and transformed through the advancements of technology.
After all, it is our humanity that shapes our thoughts and feelings. Let us not lose it, ever!