Reimagining the Human in Technology — an introduction
One of the most important relationships that we universally share is with technology. We begin and end our days with some form of it. We are accustomed to the norm that it is second nature to us and is integrated into our lives in ways that would make it hard to imagine a life without it. Today, we have a fascinating world where we can observe technology through the lens of a myriad of generations- on one extreme, some have recently adopted technology into their lives and some have been born after the explosion of our dependence on it.
Like every tool, technology has many sides to it. As many resources show us the harmful face of technology, there is a compelling opportunity in front of us to harness and design technologies in a way that allows it to function as a collaborator. Without technology, we wouldn’t be able to connect and work with people around the globe, create equal opportunities in education, have newer medical techniques and faster recovery times, advancements in space exploration, and more. We have multiple examples of the exemplary and invaluable side of technology where progress cannot be achieved without it.
By focusing on these endorsements, coupled with examples and inspirations of growth in the natural world where evolution is thoughtful and useful, therefore, progressive by design, we can create and prescribe a healthy relationship with technology and allow it to be more intentional and purposeful.
Simply put, imagine the positive possibilities if technology and humanity work together equitably.
Mutation of Technology
While the intention of technology began in service of the betterment of humanity and has enhanced but is not limited to medical advancements, education, trade and industry, a large aspect of it has mutated into a non-conscious, unhealthy relationship leaving global societies with repercussions like isolation, stress, a lack of privacy, and addiction that are the direct results of building and designing controlling systems. The negative impact of this codependency has been linked to potentially dangerous and cyclical feedback loops on several aspects of our overall wellbeing and it is a threat that is accelerating at an uncontrollable speed.
We may be makers of these systems whose growth has been and will continue to follow an exponential curve, whereas as humans we are following a linear curve. As a result, we’re playing catch up and allowing ourselves to believe that we are not in control of the pace and impact. The goal of user addiction, thereby leading to the blitzkrieg-like success of technology companies has been achieved, but have we, as creators and consumers, unwittingly fallen prey and are also controlled by the very nature of what has been designed? As the late theoretical physicist Albert Einstein said, “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”
Our Generation’s Big Challenge: Designing Technology for Wellbeing
Today, several global technological trends are trying to course-correct and address human wellbeing from the recognition of the negative impact of technology to the socialization and acknowledgment of the lack of wellbeing. Stress, loneliness, and burnout are some of the common results that are being countered by finding holistic paths of mental wellbeing. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) defines mental wellness as “an internal resource that helps us think, feel, connect, and function. It is an active process that helps us to build resilience, grow, and flourish.” Furthermore, GWI suggests 4 clear pathways towards wellness: “activity and creativity; growth and nourishment; rest and rejuvenation; and connection and meaning.” There is clarity that this form of wellbeing is beyond managing disease and using formal treatments such as therapy to address mental health.
Well-being is multidimensional, and using technology to improve that index in a person’s life needs to reflect its nature. Our individual journeys of wellbeing are relative, constantly evolving, and full of transient challenges. These twists and turns of life are to be navigated, the interdependence between the various elements of wellbeing need to be considered, and an ethical design and blueprint of technology needs to reflect this. What if the approach could enable people to be co-creators of their own wellbeing so that the outcome could shift from a desirable to an attainable one? Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, this would empower people to be the navigators of their own journeys while technology would aid with the direction to explore and build habits to match their intentions. Ultimately, it could serve as a holistic journey instead of a singular goal, a model similar to life as we experience it. This would hopefully lead to a human experience where the value is in living a more meaningful life and our model of profit changes towards aspiring for wellbeing at a global level.
Our Manifesto: An Equal Footing for the Emergence of a Humane Business Model
At Immuniti Health, we propose a humane and harmonious way of designing technology where it feels less stressful and dominating, and allows us to become more of who we want to be. This approach requires us to shift towards supporting human values and personal growth as opposed to the dopamine-hit-focused designs that a majority of current systems use. We could ask ourselves, what are we more likely to remember? A virtual story that has a shelf-life of limited hours in service of temporary viewership and instant gratification, or tangible moments that matter and real experiences that enrich and connect us? When we put ourselves in the center of this design opportunity, we can encourage a ground-up shift that enables many kinds of people to thrive and nurture personalized self-growth that would further impact their communities. So instead of people having to manage the extreme effects of mental wellbeing or the lack of it, there is an opportunity to focus on intentionality, time management, defining a person’s unique sense of self, thereby finding one’s equilibrium. It is to find a state of flow instead of a new trend that supports short term popularity, and status-driven highs with dangerous long term impacts.
This philosophy of technology would potentially nurture and evolve with the people who subscribe to it, which would allow a shift from a self-centered and yet an estranged sense of self to an evolving, growth-seeking one. From this new perspective, wellbeing will accompany and enlighten, and not just be a solution to extreme stress, burnout, or loneliness. This may look like learning how to destress in our stressful lives, or learning how to create real connections in light and safe ways. As author Stewart Brand remarks, “The urgent finds you; you have to find the important. Importance is not fast. It is slow. It is not superficial. It is deep. And as a result, it’s extremely powerful. When important matters go wrong, they undermine everything. When they go right, they sustain everything.”
Not only will an approach like this create room for consistent wellbeing, but it could establish a sense of accountability for the creators to shape humane and principled design models and roadmaps. This will enable new narratives for positive reinforcements where a person’s achievements and markers will be focused on self-paced care and individual recognition as opposed to real impacts of the illusion of virtual competition. It potentially builds the promise of a new language and a way of thinking where technology and humans navigate and evolve together- where human values come first and are non-negotiable. It might prompt us to put our phones away hours before bedtime so that we can sleep better, encourage us to experience real moments with our loved ones, or evoke nostalgia.
When technology is offered in this way, it provides agency to individuals and impacts them and their immediate circles. Currently, one succumbs, has a fatalistic, helpless point of view, or disconnects. This approach offers a connection through heart and mindfulness into technology, to use it as an empathic guide and confidant.
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In the End, What is that Truly Matters to our Human Spirit?
What might our wellbeing look like when we use technology to enhance our human experience instead of disempowering it? The answer does not lie in curbing technology but continuing to create a mutually beneficial coexistence. The result could resemble experiential and evolutionary growth that is sustainable. It could enable our social wellbeing by balancing the importance of technology along with encouraging real human connection. It could allow us to live a life of evolved wellbeing- where it is not curative but a part of our every day so that we don’t have to switch off to recharge. Instead of oscillating from hyper-connection to pursuing digital detoxes, we may be able to serve ourselves healthy proportions of technology. It would allow us to grow our businesses and understand profit and productivity differently, thereby impacting consistent growth that is a profitable model in the long run. What could the possible positive outcomes of this shift provide us? It would allow us and encourage a younger generation to birth and develop a real sense of self and resilience. When technology can become this intentional in service of wellbeing and growth, it can be used as a powerful tool for human transformation without addiction. Anything that evolves naturally, potentially has the ingredients to last longer and be more resilient.
While it doesn’t require a global pandemic to design for change, it has certainly become a catalyst to commit differently about how we incentivize creators of technology, create humane businesses, reframe our definition of profit and economic models, and reimagine the kind of future we would like to build. It has offered us the abundant spirit to fuel our curiosity and an appetite to redefine our global wellbeing.
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