A Call for Kindness

So many people seem to be worried about artificial intelligence, and while I certainly understand (and share) some of those concerns, it is our own growing lack of humanity that has me more alarmed. Specifically, empathy.

Our society has, for a long time, been one built on the principle of winning. I mean, look at us…we had to win a war to even become a country. Then, it was “how the West was won” and the very principles of capitalism drive competition. Competition begets a contest and a contest results in some sort of “winner”. We are inundated with sports and gameshows and “reality” TV, where someone wins the opportunity to be a bride or groom, or win a bunch of money, or achieve titles and status. Win, win, win…

Now, it seems that the “win” mentality has escalated to “win at any cost.” 

Unfortunately, that cost is our fellow man. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that we are living in an extremely fractured, extremely polarized society. Our political environment has deteriorated into a dangerous and shameful circus where winning is all that matters. Not the good of society, not the advancement of America, not the idea that no matter which side of the political spectrum we’re on, we are all people. And this is not about politics. The same holds true for religion…even sports teams. Sometimes even over a product brand. Pepsi over Coca-Cola? What are you, some kind of monster?

At some point we have regressed to a level of behavior that is more animal than human. Humans are supposed to have empathy and a higher level of awareness. When did we lose the ability to have civil discourse? To engage in respectful and healthy debates that provided an understanding of opposing perspectives and helped us understand more about our own beliefs? To learn from, and understand one another? At what point did it have to become about winning? About being right? 

Everyone has their own truths, but our truth does not have to be everybody else’s truth. If someone believes that a floating space pumpkin created the universe and answers our prayers, then so be it. 

But, why then must that person feel so driven to convince me to also believe that? And if someone has the opposite political belief as me, why must we stand on two sides of a rift of animosity?

Win at any cost. My side is right. If you don’t fall in line with my belief then you are the enemy. Okay, that last part may be the extreme, but it’s not entirely untrue. There’s a lot of that going around. Just listen to the news, or scroll through social media, or observe the decals on the cars and trucks you pass, or read the flags and signs and banners in yards across the country. There’s some really nasty stuff being said about other human beings who happen to have a different opinion.

That behavior exemplifies a lack of empathy, and without empathy, we might as well be a machine. Maybe that’s the real concern with A.I., that we’re looking in the mirror and realizing that we’ve become the thing we fear…only without the intelligence part.