The world isn't slowing down since the beginning of time. In this fast changing world, almost every change is considered and accepted as the nature and character of modernity. It will sometimes be good to retrospect and realize that not every change is positive. The journey of society shows how modernity came forth and brought consequences. Consistent with Marx, there has been a discontinuity of the old traditional order and embracing of the new order. Human society may be a developmental outcome wherein human distinguished itself from animals with the assembly of the means of subsistence and eventually he identified five stages of human history i.e. Primitive, Ancient, Feudal, Modern and finally communist Society. Also Engels acknowledged, everything is in a state of continuous change from smaller-larger, slower-faster, worse-better so on. I invite you today to ponder with me as it is a necessary preliminary to analyse what modernity actually is, also diagnosing its consequences.
What is modernity? Consistent with Anthony Giddens, "modernity" refers to modes of social life or organisation which emerged in Europe from about the seventeenth century onwards and which subsequently became more or less worldwide in their influence. We have been experiencing a period of modernity and now there's also a term called ‘postmodernity. Giddens, however argued that we are getting into a period of ‘High Modernity’ during which the results of modernity are getting more radicalised and universalized than before resulting in witnessing the big consequences of modernity in the 21st Century.
Modernity may be a double-edged phenomenon with themes like Security versus Danger and Trust versus Risk. Modernity has created great opportunities for citizens to enjoy a secured and rewarding existence than in any sort of Pre-modern system. However, modernity also features a sombre side that has become vital within the present century, like the frequently degrading nature of industrial work, the increasing threat of environmental destruction and alarming development of military power and weapons. More serious and substantial loss of life being considerably higher within the military now than in the 2 preceding centuries. At the present century, over I00 million people are killed in wars, even allowing overall population increase.
Marx and Durkheim both saw the modern era as a troubled one. But each believed that the beneficent possibilities opened by the Modern era outweighed its negative characteristics. Though Marx saw class war as the source of fundamental schisms within the capitalistic order, meanwhile envisaged the emergence of a more humane social organization. Similarly, Durkheim believed the further expansion of industrialism would establish a harmonious and fulfilling social life, integrated through a mixture of the division of labour and moral individualism. Max Weber was the foremost pessimistic among the three founding fathers, seeing the modern world as a paradoxical one during which material progress was obtained only at the value of an expansion of bureaucracy that crushed individual creativity and autonomy. Yet he didn't fully anticipate how extensive the darker side of modernity would end up to be.
Technology has become a dominant factor in the 21st century. Its real purpose is to serve humanity, unfortunately getting into the incorrect direction. As Tony Jetton said, Mankind is constantly playing chess with nature. Man creates cars and airplanes, industries, factories and on the opposite hand nature's strikes back by weakening the ozonosphere so it doesn't matter what we do, nature always puts us in check. But at this point, man is playing with the tree of life itself which involves all human race. A really dangerous game not with a nature as checkmate but with our own creation ie Artificial Intelligent. This is where the game ends between men and nature. He called it CASIT- Conscious Artificial Super Intelligence Technology. CASIT Green may be a robot personality which can become an answer to our survival as species. However, on the opposite hand, there is a looming threat, called CASIT Red -Cataclysmic Artificial Super Insane Technology and this sort of robot personality can cause our last invention and therefore the greatest threat ever to humanity. What’s going to happen when a CASIT Red super strong and superfast intelligent interferes with our quality of life and puts us on a dangerous path to a possible technological Armageddon that threatens our existence.
What endangers us is when a replacement robot sort of entity which is more intelligent than us decides to treat us like we've treated other weaker species. There are numerous amazing benefits but also massive threats that potentially can really create effects and massive harm for the future generation. What really worries us is, who are the designers of CASIT? Are they good, kind, loving people or are they people who have lost their way and haven't any moral compass?
Therefore, the most brilliant minds on the earth are now deeply concerned. Elon Musk and Stephen Hawkings signed a letter titled ‘research priorities for robust and beneficial AI’. 8000 scientists also signed this letter. The letter states that a correct research must be conducted before AI is made. Hopefully, it'll have a positive economic impact, implementing laws that put humans first and ethics for keeping humans safe at all cost. Now is the time to awaken humanity. Our own enlightenment may save humanity from CASIT Red. Can we do it? Yes.
AI can go either way, blessing or curse. Robots are set to replace human jobs. A 2013 study by Oxford University predicts that up to 47% of human jobs will be computerized within the next 10 to 20 years resulting in even more massive unemployment. AI could not ponder human emotions like fear, loneliness, and feeling of isolation. Loneliness causes depression, anxiety and diminished self-worth, thwarting mental and physical health, loneliness also impacts the type of AI creation. The world is more interconnected by technology than ever before. Billions of individuals at moments can interact but are lonely in hearts which may be called a new phenomenon, the virus of modern age.
The solution to possible technological Armageddon is in elevating our own consciousness and also understanding how technology relates with biology. Within the not so distant future there are going to be robots CASIT walking amongst us. The planetary resources will become limited. What we'd like to try to do immediately is to awaken and be ready to hear our alarm and be ready to raise the collective vibration of our planet, the vibration of love. Love can change the planet for betterment.
Degree of Thought is a weekly community column initiated by Tetso College in partnership with The Morung Express. Degree of Thought will delve into the social, cultural, political and educational issues around us. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinion of the institution. Tetso College is a NAAC Accredited UGC recognised Commerce and Arts College. The editors are Dr Hewasa Lorin, Dr Aniruddha Babar, Nisha Dahiya and Meren. For feedback or comments please email: dot@tetsocollege.org
