iKnow by Donny Davidson

      

     I remember gripping the metal bars of that waiting room chair, where the masses sat radiating appropriate levels of fear in anticipation of innovation.  They stared longingly at the glaring screens of their hand-held devices, almost as if they were saying goodbye.  We all knew we were there for the same procedure, “Internet Implantation (i.i),” Google’s newest invention.  No longer would we sit aimlessly and unproductively at our computers; with instant access to the Internet, at a single thought or verbal command, we could be as efficient and effective as possible.  “Imagine the possibilities,” they said. 

     I will tell you what I did not imagine.  I never imagined I would be sitting here, in this cold and vacant library, with my nose held up to the spine of a tattered book, taking in the smells of ink, paper, and the distant memory of people who wondered.  Please, do not misunderstand there have been countless accomplishments over these last 10 years.  However, there are conflicting debates circulating the realm of scholars of the benefits and costs of the i.i era.   Tonight, I have nostalgically chosen to write in pen and paper in this lonely library in reflection of the good, the bad, and the ugly of today’s digital world.

The Good

     For so long we held to the idea of artificial intelligence (A.I.), a Jetsonian-like robotic future.  But we out-did ourselves, surpassing machines and lifting men to new heights.  We replaced portions of our mind with A.I. technology, allowing our mind to access the Internet much like our ancient computer systems.  This, researchers said, enabled us to use other parts of our brains differently maximizing our mental capacity and ability.  Most were all convinced that this was the necessary step towards the ultimate technological advancement with neither time nor knowledge being barriers to our human progression. 

     Just yesterday morning I woke up to the 7:00AM CNN news flash, as programmed the night before, behind closed eye-lids waking me from my moments of stillness. The report informed that additional findings have led to further curative methods in the cancer epidemics that had been progressively sweeping the nation since the early twentieth century.  It is now 2030, and I have no fears of suffering from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or cancer. 

     Our once declining climate had reached a crisis point, and now we have reached a place of homeostasis among our earth and its habitants.  Shortly after i.i, sustainability advocates initiated massive movement towards awareness and action through mental mapping, an i.i feature that connects like interests and ideas should you choose to participate.  Widely believed, this type of collective and easy access of pooled knowledge is the cause of such rapid advancements in the environmental, science, and medical fields.   It is the gatherings of global minds that have allowed for brilliant solutions to our most frequent and draining dilemmas.

     Aside the ability to connect with ideas and information is the efficiency of our new mental condition.  We sit in our vehicles, stand in our showers, and lay in our beds while simultaneously sending and receiving data that serves our deepest motivations, desires, and interests.  True, it was an adjustment at first, but after time one learns to manage and sift through this constant flow of information.

      
     Three decades ago, when Google first launched their self-driving vehicles and Google Glasses, we were shocked that the future had arrived.  Many questioned the practicalities and need for such products, many of these questions stemming from the fear of what else innovation might bring.   A few have chosen to remain free from i.i; we call them the “Wonderers.”  They rebel against technology as if we’re trying to replace human will and spirit rather than enhance it.  Yes, I sit here with my criticisms, which will soon be made apparent, but the outcomes of our progression are undeniable.

The Bad

     I become nostalgic when reminiscing on the moments of curiosity I once had, when I asked friends, families, and mentors questions about life or academics.  We rarely have time to communicate.  People are generally working quietly on their own ambitions, connecting through social media after a directive thought.  I remember the awkward moments I experienced as a child when my mother would lean over and talk to the stranger about her day as we waited for the cashier to scan our products.  Today, we are oblivious to one another, consumed with our own agendas leaving little time for anything else.  Curious that the very thing we aimed to do was to connect, yet it has been years since I have experienced a friendly glance or moment of human connection. 

     I overheard a neighbor scolding her son as he stared into the distance, no doubt drowning out her voice with tunes.  Her anger was palpable, she directed him to get inside and start his homework, highlighting that homework downloads are prohibited.  The problem with our students is grave.  Dropout rates have almost tripled in size since 2012 and parents are at a loss.  How does a parent emphasize education when all information is accessible at the blink of an eye?  I try hard to imagine an adolescent experience where information is at my fingertips and the role of adults shifted from educators and guardians to obstacles in my access to information and fun. 

     I have speculated that many of these dropped-out, digitally-driven youth are then forced into very limited career choices; the choice between the path of good and evil computer programmers.  Good being those who seek to improve innovative applications of the Internet or the evil who wish to hack and enter into malicious doings.  The hackers hide in the shadows looking for weaknesses in programming and hijack the hard work of others just to fill their depleted sense of self-worth.  They prove nothing other than inability to respect the time and space of others.  They waste their own intelligence to provoke irritation, knowing they could otherwise use their knowledge of the Internet for much more productive purposes.

The Ugly

     Are we addicts, addicts of information and instant gratification?  Back in 2012, I remember there being talks about “Internet Addictions” being added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  I have often contemplated having the procedure removed, but I have seen what that looks like.  Joe, an ex-coworker had it removed and now he paces back and forth anxiously mumbling to himself as if he is tweaking, searching for that hit of endless information.   He now talks of government conspiracies and that this i.i move was a way for the government to tap into our brains and have the ultimate surveillance system. “They know your every move, every thought,” he says. 

     Divorce is bad these days.  Constance, my wife, is gone.  She met some man on a virtual dating space. Divorce proceedings have not been finalized but I predict that is only days away.  Divorce rates seem to have stayed the same, but studies are reflecting that this is because less people are entering marriage.  Most of the men who attend my online-support group place the blame on their Internet and porn addiction.  I would be remiss not to add this in my analysis of our current digital dilemma.  The pornography is a plague; a multi-trillion dollar industry that feeds off the lust and longings of men and women and care nothing for the decay of true intimacy.  The virtual girlfriends, dates, and escapes this provides are alluring and many fall victim to these temptations. 

     I don’t know. What if Joe is right and this i.i movement is marketed in ways to hide the government’s true intentions of invading privacy and a means of social control?  Crime statistics have decreased and streets seem quiet these days.  But I cannot help but wonder how the government and military are using i.i.  White-collar crimes continue to increase, however. 

The Reward

     My hand grows tired, muscles stiff from the intensity from which I grasp this pen.  For days I will have my writer’s souvenir – this bump, a reminder of what it feels like to sit with my thoughts; the intimate connection between mind and hand.

     I hope that we continue to unlock the potential of great minds.  I hope that we continue to break down the barriers of progression for human kind. And that the vast amount of resources available continues to provide ways for even more people to surpass the minds of our predecessors. 

     Alas, I am done.  I must be going home now to my dog, Faulkner, who thankfully sits unscathed from our technological world.  I will leave this paper here, on this neglected desk in hopes of another wonderer at heart to find and enjoy these ramblings of nothing… and everything.

Works Cited

[Google’s executive staff in a self-driving car]. Photograph. Google. Google Inc., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.

[Google’s Project Glass]. Photograph. Google. Google Inc., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.

"Intersect." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.  23 Sept. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.

hussain1. "Writer's Desk." Photograph. deviantART. deviantART, 15 Jun. 2008. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.