The Mind's Unending Yearning for Discontent

There is a massive distinction between people who champion the further development and utilization of technology, and those who adamantly believe that technology will rob humanity of what makes them the most distinct, intelligent, and complex creatures of all existence. There is no question that the concepts of expanding, developing, searching, improving, reaching, and yearning are built in every corner of society. These are innate, absolutely natural feelings and ideas that led the human race to where it is now. The underlying concern now is to determine at which point humanity needs to set a boundary with taking advantage of technology and even exploiting it. Further “development” reached the extent of integrating technology into the human body with the intention of breaking the biological restrictions it currently upholds. Initial opinions may lean towards noticing the benefits of the coalescence of humans and technology. However, upon analyzing the possibility of this implementation, great disadvantages and unethical situations will emerge, mostly evident in an individual’s personal growth and the entirety of the economy. Breaking the barrier between humans and technology will create a new but harmful definition of creativity and morality.

Suppose technology, without considering the expenses, allows humans to automatically download a skill into their brains that would be effective immediately. The value of hard work and merit will dwindle since the recognition of learning and natural skills will no longer be measured accurately (“Positive and Negative”). Let alone the loss of satisfaction from committing to learn and master new activities. Narrowing this concept in the context of education and the youth, advanced technology will cause a decrease in fruitful and engaging discussions in classrooms since existing, artificial ideas will overlap with original ones. Additionally, intellectual competitions and programs showcasing students’ intelligence and creations will have to adjust their judging criteria drastically. In instances wherein acquiring everything anytime is accessible for everyone under schools, the whole educational system will also change. Therefore, it is highly appropriate to suggest that there is no use for education at all when all is available online in an instant. Impacts on young people’s views on originality and efficiency will become clouded, leading them to opt for the faster route of relying on what technology will provide them given any circumstance or situation. Therefore, personal, independent growth will cease to exist.

Looking at this from an economic perspective, this great advancement in technology will yield high production costs. As a result, the supply will be low and the distribution of this across the different sectors of the economy will be unequal. Greatly affected are the industrial and service sectors where the quality and productivity rates will display evident disparities. Those who have the resources to acquire the artificial technology will produce and cater to a wider range of consumers, putting those who cannot at a disadvantage in terms of sales. This is where the argument about human replacement in the workplace introduces itself (Acemoglu and Johnson). Consider how many workers are to be displaced due to the presence of technology; unemployment and employment rates will augment more complications, especially in countries where only a majority of companies are financially able to avail of the said artificial technology. In contrast, areas wherein there is a preponderance of affluent industries, the value of laborers will be discredited as well, making employment a harder process than it already is. With that being said, pushing for this implementation will cause more boundaries between the social classes, retracing the issue previously mentioned regarding natural skills becoming trivial and no longer necessary.

Opposing views claim that there are more advantages to incorporating technology in the body, especially in the field of medicine. Truly, there are already some being used in replacing limbs called prosthetic devices. These allow amputees and people born with congenital anomalies to control their prosthetic limb’s movement through sensors receiving signals from the remaining muscles (“Prosthetics”). Technology is also being used in more complex parts of the body such as the brain. The opportunity to change the lives of paralyzed patients opened with the development of motion-sensory prosthetics. Sensory implants surgically placed in the brain are connected to a computer responsible for sending the signals to the body where electrodes are placed all over a patient’s muscles. It is these that receive the signals from the computer. The body upon movement due to the signal, sends this reactive signal back to the computer, allowing it to read the activity detected which is translated to the part of the brain with sensory implants (Reese). The parietal lobe, responsible for touch and other senses, then aids the patient to take control of their own movements since they get a better feel of their senses. Countless lives would be changed for the better since intelligent ideas are refined daily and are brought to life by professionals through technology.

Gathering everything discussed, the argument does not center around whether technology is good or bad. It is most definitely good when utilized ethically; highlighting the advancements of available treatment for patients in the medical field. On the other hand, without careful observation of moderation while further incorporating technology with humanity, existing systems in education and the workplace will be forced to unrealistically adapt. Considering the financial inequalities the world has right now, it is not practical to push through with this merger. The violation of human rights when humans lose the avenue in which they can practice their capabilities and lose their existing roles in the economy, already proves ethical limitations. Furthermore, it creates the notion in the mind that humans have not reached their maximum potential which is why they keep searching for ways to surpass limitations, namely with technology. Keeping this in mind, humans should learn to adjust to a competitive world. Upholding competitiveness in society will induce people to improve their natural skills in their respective fields. Technology keeps advancing daily, what makes it hard for humans to upgrade as well? Leave technology to merge with those who need it, otherwise, keep humanity out of the narrative.

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Works Cited

Acemoglu, Daron, and Simon Johnson. “Choosing AI’s Impact on the Future of Work (SSIR).” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 25 Oct. 2023, ssir.org/articles/entry/ai-impact-on- jobs-and-work.

NIH MedicinePlus Magazine. “Prosthetics through the Ages.” NIH MedicinePlus Magazine, vol. 18, no. 2, 11 May 2023, pp. 20–22, magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/prosthetics- through-the-ages.

Podar Blogs. “Positive and Negative Impact of Technology on Education.” Podar Education, 12 Feb. 2024, www.podareducation.org/school/balharshah/blog-positive-and-negative- impact-of-technology-on-education.

Reese, Edward W. “The Brain.” Can You Live Forever?: Your Extended Life and Continued Awareness a Scientific Perspective, by Edward D. Reese, Bloomington, AuthorHouse, 6 Mar. 2023.