Opinion | Conflicting connections between us.

A comment by a troll on an Instagram post of my dear friend read, “I have an image of yours that is see-through, wonder what I can do with it? And in another instance a relative of mine who happens to be an addictive gamer, missed his final examination as he overslept after a gruelling gaming session. Technology! A powerful tool nevertheless. Puts every precedence into motion or sets ablaze every concrete image and goodwill one has earned. Ah! The intricacies of life and its offerings never cease to amaze us. Looking at the comment over and over again my friend said, how swiftly times are changing and we have come a long way from being just humane. I got a bit sentimental with her statement as I come from an emotional school of thought. There is an old soul in me that usually stays by my side and drags me to the good old ways. I am quite fond of technology and the convenience it has to offer. However, such instances are alarming and they are a wake-up call for all of us. Perhaps we should not take everything at face value and these red flags invoke grave enquiries that should resonate with all of us. How is the technology and information bubble shaping us? Are we becoming excessively dependent on technology which is sadly, turning into an obsession? Did we sign up for all this?
Change, adapt or die, as they say. An established ground rule. Backed by experts and all the evidence draws the same conclusion. Arguably change is inevitable and when it is convenient, it has to be accepted with both hands. Technology has its benefits but on a flipside, it has its share of malevolence as well. It is astounding what technology can do these days, all you need is, to upload a couple of images, for you, these are memories but for everyone else, it is data. And that data is fuel, the beginning of a creepy nightmare and a horrible future for any of us. Even if you post something, it tends to be blown out of proportion and chances are, you will be up against the establishment for the crimes you never committed. Imagine your identity being stolen, your privacy going public and your financial records become vulnerable. Turning a sentiment, a private affair into a meme is considered a ‘humorous interpretation to reduce stress.’ What we do and share online leaves a digital footprint which stays there and it follows us around like a stalker for the rest of our lives. As Elon Musk says, “Al is far more dangerous than any of us can ever realise.” In the realm of misinformation, deep fakes, Snapchat dysmorphia, cyber lynching, cyber-attacks and sneakiness, a part of our life is gradually being taken away from us. If you, fall in the line of thought, you will realise our self-worth and individuality are at risk here.
Edward Tufte (American Statistician and Professor) opines, ‘‘there are only two industries that refer to their customers as ‘users’: illegal drugs trade & software.’’ The question we should be asking is, how much information is enough and how many options are feasible for objectivity? I believe, too many options and too much knowledge backfires at times. The clarity of thought becomes an effervescence and we are usually trapped in our own bubble before fidelity bursts it up. We need to draw a line around what is productive for us and when we should stop our insatiable quest before it consumes us entirely. We have to evolve but not at the cost of leveraging our privacy and identity. The Social Dilemma (2020), an insightful documentary highlights the dark reality of social media and how things work behind the scenes. It demonstrates how social media algorithms control our lives, manipulate us and lead Gen Z to anxiety or depression. Pertinently, as per the documentary, Silicon Valley is selling its users to the countless companies that feed on this data and everyone is competing for just one thing; your attention! So, our attention, and our vulnerability is the product for them. Daniel Hovermann sums it up nicely, ‘’If you are not paying for the product, then you are the product.’
As Clive Humby (British Mathematician and Entrepreneur) puts it, data is the new oil and many believe that it is here to change the future for good. We are surrounded by so much data that it is hard to trace out and identify the information that is authentic and reliable. It is a scary endeavour at times to work in this incognito mode where it is impossible to differentiate between what is giving us productivity and what is silently consuming us. Under this mass hysteria of information, credibility and authenticity have taken a back seat. The state of not knowing is gradually leading us into darkness and it has its repercussions. Our decisions and choices are not ours anymore. Our innocence and lack of technical knowhow is being starkly exposed across the board. No one is spared here. We are only specks of memory in this database that are programmed to function in a particular way. We are going bonkers on this roller coaster without knowing who is holding the controls any longer. And that, my friends, gives me chills! I seriously worry for our kids as they hold the key to our past and the future. We are moving in a direction where tech & AI are taking over. Change is inevitable and we have to embrace it but at what cost? Do we board this ride for progression leaving our self-sustenance and ethos reeling on a wheelchair? Do we succumb to this magnificent sightseeing which is built on exploiting human vulnerability, identity theft and manipulation?
I am an optimist but I prefer to call a spade a spade. The road ahead is stark and patchy. I believe there is a digital war on our hands and we are going to see many facets of it as AI and its manifestations are taking over. Even though history is there for reference and to learn lessons from the past. The literature and academia are there to walk beside us so that we stay on track. The holy book is our eternal companion to guide us in the right direction and it will stand the test of time. However, for any revolution and change, we need to walk the walk and talk the talk. Our questions are screaming for creative answers and our problems are crying for new solutions. Our miseries weep every day and mock us as we are looking for remedies that lie in an old sack of garbage. We need to outwit the forces that are at play here. We should incorporate and evolve with technology however, the need is there to protect our virtual privacy, to respect our space and to bring in transparency. We must bring in self-management skills and regulate our screen time. And most importantly we need to re-evaluate our relationship with technology. Pertinently, there is a need for ethical designing of the services being offered and cleansing of websites that are turning into a digital black hole. Tech companies should focus on designing things that are less addictive and tempting. Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (RTA) always has the best life lessons, that cut across time and space, ‘Life is a tricky balance between holding on and letting go’, he says. We as a society, need to summon all our resolve and introspect where we are headed as it is easy to lose sight in this beautiful abyss.

Aadil Majeed
aadil.majeed2009@gmail.com