Technology for Humanity

I often wonder if technology has helped bring humanity together or driven us further apart. At this point, I think I could argue both sides.

We are born with the ability and choice to give love to the world or to serve our own ego. It’s a choice. When we fail to actively choose love, the natural path is that of serving our selfishness. And showing love, especially during difficult times, is not easy. You have to be dedicated to it.

The ego has sort of a gravitational pull on us. If we’re not consciously and deliberately walking away from it, it tends to pull us down. With lots of practice, it gets easier. But it’s a lifelong commitment.

I believe technology is intrinsically the same. It has a natural pull towards serving the ego. We have to really be deliberate about using it to propagate love and foster peace and relationship. Technology has the ability to bring the world together in a profound way. But it doesn’t happen organically, and it’s easy to get off track.

In those rare times (in the developed world) when technology such as electricity, running water, modes of transportation, etc. are ripped away from us, humanity tends to come together.

Like when you’re in a house or office and the power goes off. Or the water is out and no one can shower for days. Those times are often when people come together and connect for the first time, even after crossing paths daily for years and never speaking. They sort of crash into one another.

Technology allows too much of a buffer between you and someone else. It’s not raw enough. It’s a Photoshopped relationship. The nuances have been stripped away.

But I do believe technology has the power to bring us together if we are deliberate about it. Meetup.com is a good example. It gets people together in a room and facilitates crashing into one another over ideas and dreams. That’s a beautiful thing.

The IOWEYOU fashion label uses technology to link their customers directly to the artisans in developing countries that created the products they are buying. The level of connection is profound.

Scores of charities like Invisible Children, Charity:Water, The Satellite Sentinel Project and the ONE Campaign have utilized technology to prevent atrocities and bring humanity from all over the world together.

And my newest favorite is Square, the latest from Twitter creator Jack Dorsey. Fast Company just named it one of the worlds 50 most innovative companies. The application opens up the door for anyone to process credit cards, and also allows you to personalize the customer experience. Square puts a bit of the human nuance back into the financial transaction game. Brilliant.

Technology certainly has the power to bring humanity together in a more profound way than ever before. The ease of communication and transportation afforded to us through technology has already broken down thousands of barriers that previously kept us separated. I believe technology is taking a turn towards more human connection already. And at some point, it will surprise us all.

What technology do you see helping bring humanity closer?