Accidental Gods: Are We Wise Enough for Our Own Creations?
Accidental Gods: Are We Wise Enough for Our Own Creations?
As technology grants us powers once reserved for deities, we need to evolve our connection with ancient wisdoms to steer tools like AI for human flourishing, not just profit.
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt
The Pace of Progress
Technology's sprinting faster than Usain Bolt on his fourth coffee. Outlandish concepts such as AI and gene hacking, the sci-fi pipe dreams of not long ago now shape how we live, work, eat, date, even make babies. With great power comes great responsibility, as Spiderman's sage uncle said. But are we mature enough yet to handle these killer tools without major fuck-ups? If the movies have been right all along, a superhero will come and save just at the very last second, detonating that annihilating nuclear arsenal.
I digress.
As we oscillate and walk the valley between utopia or dystopia, let's hope humanity's ready to move responsibly.
Let’s pray that we all consciously move responsibly.
Conscious Technology
Visionaries see technology not as good or evil in itself, but an amplifier of human potential—a blank canvas we paint on with our intentions and values. Crispr can heal diseases or divide humanity into genetic haves and have-nots, depending if we use it compassionately or for selfish gain.
We have to steer this ship consciously, before it’s too late (please don’t be too late, I’m not ready to die). If we don’t engineer human values and ethics into systems from the start, it’ll be like trying to install airbags in a car after it's crashed. We must build tech that energises and amplifies our higher selves, not just our lower appetites for stuff, status and snacks. Easier hash-tagged than done in our distraction economy.
It’s time for "conscious tech" startups and creators to bake ethics into business models and design processes.
But can we really model a global mindset shift?
The hopeful romantic in me says yes; but then I turn on the news. Actually, I don’t turn on the news; that’s a whole other exploration.
I’m a hopeful romantic.
I see possibility. I dream in futures.
I think in colour and I create in hope.
Hope is my strategy, vision is my reality.
The Age of Opportunity and Responsibility
No doubt we're living in an age of accelerated opportunity. But these great opportunities are laden with risk. Climate change proves technology can also cause massive unintended consequences when used mindlessly, and greedily. And it’s the same extractive and destructive business and political forces that are signalling that technology will save us from Mother Nature’s fury.
Time to grow up and apply our powers thoughtfully, not just for greed's sake. Anyone can start a fire — it’s up to us whether we choose arson or a BBQ.
Cultivating An Elevated Consciousness
How do we cultivate our God-ness, our Buddha-nature and get wise enough to embody these powerful exponential killer potential tools without blowing ourselves up?
Designers, engineers and tech titans must make ethics a core design principle from the start, not an afterthought. Products must be designed and crafted to energise our higher angels, not inner demons.
I love repetition; I hope you get my point.
We must also get crystal clear on the futures we want to create, individually and together. Visualise positive goals and let those north stars guide technology to uplift humanity. We can’t just drift wherever the winds of "progress" blow.
Take the wheel and steer towards justice, creativity, human flourishing.
No one can single-handedly drive the future, but every single one of us can influence it, from an engineer's daily design choices to the apps we use, products we buy, content we click and share, the food we eat, taking responsibility for how we get food on the table. That smile when someone needs to be seen, your ear when someone needs to be heard, your shoulder for when someone needs to wallow.
Small acts of conscience send ripples through destiny's pond.
We vote with our wallets, attention and voices. B
Becoming conscious consumers and citizens is vital.
Rediscovering Ancient Wisdom
We don’t just crave intellectual development, but emotional, ethical and spiritual maturity. Our tech-ability has lapped our wisdom. It's time to evolve ourselves before trying to "evolve" technology further.
Is it too late? I don’t think so.
We must rediscover ancient practices that grow our compassion, equanimity and purpose.
Ancient, inclusive, holistic and earth-connected traditions preserve timeless methods to develop our highest human potential. Building community and rituals around these teachings grounds progress in ethics, not just profit.
Embracing Conscious Progress
This isn't about hitting the brakes on technology, not at all.
The future we can create is wildly optimistic, overflowing with potential. AI, genetic mastery, space travel, longevity - I see these as profoundly hopeful. But we must greet them with open eyes, guiding progress with care. If we rise to this challenge, our destiny as a species can be spectacular.
It’s a balance between idealism and pragmatism. We acknowledge the light and shadow in human nature, avoiding both techno-utopianism and doomsaying.
We can offer a measured path that says harness technology aligned with universal ethics and wisdom.
We all play a role in creating this future - designing, building and using tech consciously.
Then we can architect the incredible world of our dreams.
We can then become an awakened singularity.
Onward. Consciously. Joyously.
With all the ferocity we need to ensure the world we create is one that we leave in a better place.
What future do you imagine?
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln
