IS TECHNOLOGY A SLAYER FOR HUMANITY?

Rohit and Ramola are now in their mid-sixties. When they were in their early thirties, they fallen in love with each other and after courtship of two years, they finally settled by concluding their nuptial. Two years later, their only son Ronit born. Ronit is their most precious possession and they groomed him with their utmost ability, instilling their values on him. Rohit works in a bank where Ramola too works. Every day they return from their place of work in the same car of their own which Rohit purchased after their marriage, and nowadays it is easily available by paying installments. In every month out of ECS facility, every month the concern money for installment being deducted from Rohit’s savings account, and this never caused any hindrance to enjoy their palatable livelihood.

Rohit has a fancy for flowers and precisely red Rose is his most favorite. Every day, after returning from office, Rohit used to gift his wife a red Rose and thus he translates his strong fervor for her. Rohit too has a hobby of gardening and in his backyard he nurtures his small garden where plenty of flower plants he implanted and among all he adores Roses of different colors which literally soothes his heart.

Rohit’s son Ronit gradually grown up and after completing his studies, he relocated himself to a place, away from his home town, where he got his employment in the I.T. industry, which is nowadays a booming industry, generating huge employment alone.

Meanwhile Rohit and Ramola, both retired from their services. After retiring from their job, they are enjoying absolute rest. It is nowadays becoming difficult for them to adapt with their idle hours. They eventually planned to visit the place where their son works, where Ronit alone lives in a bachelor’s quarter. When they reached their son’s quarter, all three felt sheer ecstacy and two weeks spent there allmost wink of an eye. But they have to return to their house as it is remaining empty. Besides, a place away from their native town is surely uncomfortable to them, as the language, food habit and culture are utterly different from them and felt like intruders. So, after two weeks, now they are longing to return to their known domain and once more they winded their bag and baggage in order to return to their own nest.

After bidding good-bye to their son, who is equally worried about their health, as with the increase of age, some age related diseases are bound to crop up to inflict them and they too are now accustomed to take certain medicines along with restricted diet, not allowing the health conditions to be aggravated any further.

After returning to their house, they eventually involved in their usual routine works, whether gardening, doing morning walk and interacting with neighbors in the ambiance they are accustomed with.

Rohit loves most the Rose out of all flowers. Its constitution, essence and exposition bring immense pleasure to him. Though thorns are attached to it, but the beauty if offer, engulfs him with inexplicable elation. He sincerely devotes himself with required manures and pesticides and carefully nurtures plants in his garden so that it may bloom with colorful blossoms to soothe his mind with bliss, as if they are equally his own child.

In the morning, it is his routine work to sit in his garden in an arm chair in the green lawn, after coming from morning walk and read morning newspaper with tea, accompanied by his beloved wife. Thus, they are enjoying their retired life in peace and contentment.

One fine morning, while he was reading his morning daily, suddenly he received message in his mobile. The concern text bears the message that a sizeable amount of money being withdrawn from his account. He was utterly perplexed. As today only he received a message prior to this message about his pension being credited in his account. His hard earned money, being saved by him in his savings account, suddenly being disappeared, the only source for him to pull out his livelihood. He felt utterly crestfallen. Before getting rid of the pain of losing such a big amount of money from his bank account, after few minutes, he received another message followed, bearing the text of withdrawing money from A.T.M. counter of his bank which made him sheer nonplussed. Being petrified with the messages of losing money, he could not decide what to do! After few minutes, he rang to one of his friend as well former colleague, who advised him to visit to any nearby A.T.M. counter to immediately block his debit card. As it was Sunday and being holiday, he will be not able to meet with any bank officials of his branch to lodge complain. So, he visited to nearby A.T.M. counter and immediately blocked his card. Despite, he received another message of withdrawing money from his account which kept him in utter jittery. He could not sleep also comfortably at night. Even he did not share the storm he is experiencing within himself with his wife, as he thought it may equally keep her in mess.

Next day, after taking his breakfast, he told his wife that he is going to the bank to update his savings bank account pass book. His wife took notice of his face and could evidently realize that something anomaly is reflecting on his face. But she refrains from asking anything more. Only told him to come early as, she also decided to go for marketing.

After reaching to the branch of the concern bank, he took notice of huge queue in the counter for updating. Besides, all officials are engaged to deal with the people as there is huge rush owing to deposition of money, as the government took a policy of demonetization and two legal tenders are simultaneously declared banned. Standing in the long queue for a considerable time, he felt a chest pain and gradually he sat down, almost in verge of losing consciousness. People in and around observed his ordeal and immediately attended him. They took him quickly to the nearby doctor’s clinic. The doctor checking his external features advised them immediately to hospitalize, as the symptoms are of severe cardiac arrest. From his mobile phone they communicate with his wife and some of them accompanied him to the nearby hospital, where after examining him, the attending doctors declared him as dead. He was intensely shocked owing to his financial loss and he could share even with his wife, fearing that it would too jeopardize her, he finally breathed out perpetually!

Technological advancement, which is gradually paving for artificial intelligence is perhaps the inevitable consequence we are supposed to confront with. The pace on which the entire growth process is accelerating, we are observing a phenomena of disruption, sometimes almost entirely overhauling the existing system and sometimes we are getting very little time to adjust and adapt with the new system we are facing. It is obviously ushering us to make our life more comfortable and human errors are reducing significantly too. Within few decades there will be a sea change in our pattern of living where we may largely depend on technology. Technology equally having an inherent strength, in order to educate people to express its paramountcy. But, we cannot rule out that it is evidently serving the purpose of few who can gain enormous profits in a very short span of time and thus, emerging as a new species with abundant wealth to emphatically express their presence in the global corporate milieu. Their stories of success are now represented as an axiom for many to emulate.

Now the artificial intelligence too an emphatic proposition, where replacing human touch by virtue of machine, can enable us to enjoy a smooth life. But, the basic factor is, whatever the developed technology we may herald, ultimately it is the outcome of human brain, only focusing to replace human with machine to ensure more profit and avoid human resources, which is perhaps considered as the most complex and difficult to deal with!

Now, finally we can evidently concur that the new emerging trait of emotional intelligence having a certain dimension, unlike the traditional one we are conversant with and which are the majority’s quotient.

Rohit, whose abrupt demise may be the fallout of technology which was no longer desired. The person who had worked throughout his life in the banking industry, where during his tenure of service, more human touch were associated with. While interacting with customers in regular basis, there is an emotional bonding used to develop too, where apart from business transaction, the communication they were adhered to may kindle a personal equation, which in return can bring potential investors or customers to his branch and that to ensure growth of the concern industry Rohit attached to. On contrary, machine or technology cannot yield such positive vibes as it cannot discriminate a customer physically with his emotional attributes.

So, embracing alone to technology based resolutions have every potential to cause disruption to an existing system and instead of boon, it can become bane too.

Artificial intelligence perhaps a tool, facilitating to slay emotional intelligence which is highly detrimental to mankind. What is the use of technology with its highest manifestation, such as artificial intelligence, which may go against humanity?

Now, it is high time to ponder should we eulogize Artificial Intelligence? After all, what is our objective? Only to seek profit? Is not should be designed to serve humanity? Killing humanitarian values and principles are we only crave for? Rohit’s abrupt demise is the fallout of technology? Who will be blamed for his untimely death? Why are we crazy to express our obsession for ‘Artificial’? Why are we drifting from worshipping ‘nature’? Will nature endure our whims, and greed and alacrity for wealth infinitely? Will it not take its toll, for which entire human race would be at jeopardy? Will Rohit’s silent departure from this planet never ever unfold a bitter ‘truth’ that, to dictate and dominate ‘Nature’ for the interest of few, one day pave the way for extinction of entire human race? The cry and agony of deceased wife and son will fall into deaf ears?