What will our era be called?
It is undisputed that we live in a turbulent time. Many of us who study world history are convinced that our era is not like those of previous centuries, where characteristics, features, and accents in the value system were changing… Today, not only the essence of our worldview and values change, but also the fundamental principles through which we understand and interpret the world. What are the key changes?
World as a village: Today, a person can experience the whole world – by traveling literally or virtually, being in contact with anyone, anywhere. But this also has its downside (e.g. the constant invasion of tourists in interesting places), but it also provides an opportunity for people to break free from their provincial and narrow-minded ways of thinking and become spiritually richer and more tolerant. Will we achieve that?
Public life: The boundaries between personal and public are almost non-existent today. Anything you do or say at any moment can be recorded and published to the world at the speed of light. Privacy becomes publicly available. a. Where to draw the line?
“The Lonely Crowd”: Technology has connected us with inaccessible places and people, while at the same time leading to social isolation. Let’s set aside people who live in video games and focus on a completely “isolated” way of life, where almost all needs can be satisfied and fulfilled “online,” while simultaneously living a solitary life in the center of a huge agglomeration. Plans for the “meta-life” of modern visionaries turn the movie Matrix into something very real. Will meta-happiness be real?
The Empire of Information: Never before in known history has humanity had access to such a vast amount of information. A reasonable and disciplined person is thrilled: they can use vast sources of knowledge for their development and for exploring the world. At the same time, the number of “functionally illiterate” children (who cannot distinguish, understand, or utilize information), for example in Bulgaria, has reached 46%. So why do they even need all this information? Let’s also add the internet, that incredible medium of communication and connectivity. The multiplier of good and evil, which has greatly contributed to the almost complete undermining of authority (the opinions of popular YouTubers are valued more than the opinions of Nobel Prize winners because “likes” have become the most important criterion). It is interesting paradox that finding valuable and useful information has become as difficult as it was in the time of totalitarian regimes.
Observer under surveillance: Today, like never before, we can track and control heartbeats, number of steps, automated purchases… But at the same time, we are being observed. All aspects of human life are under unprecedented surveillance, and all of this is happening “in real time”. The amount of information collected, not only about the movements of each individual, but also about their state, health, tastes, thoughts, and habits, is staggering, and it is no coincidence that it is currently the most valuable thing on the global market… forget about oil and diamonds! For now, it doesn’t seem alarming that information collectors only direct us towards certain purchases, entertainment , behaviors, preferences, voices… Did I say “only”?
Almost perfect reproduction: Technology has advanced so much that there is a problem distinguishing between a copy and an original. From images to money, human voice, and faces in videos… anything can be counterfeited, and we may not even know it! It seems that we are facing a great questioning; what to believe and what not? The wise say that the material world is an illusion… so what do we call this copying? Illusion of an illusion?
Smart technology: Let us not be against technology itself, but let us connect it with human development. We will probably be remembered as “those who performed heart transplantation and landed on the Moon”, which is also unprecedented! However, is it possible to determine a reasonable limit, where we can say that more than that is not desirable? Do we want to look at it from a more accurate perspective: what is happening to human imagination since movies are watched more than books are read? In what state is our memory in a situation when we can record and were willing to develop their inner qualities.
Those who used the power of technology to improve their lives, but never forgot the importance of human connection and empathy.
A society that valued progress, but also protected the environment and cherished the beauty of nature.
A time when individualism and personal ambition were balanced with a sense of community and collective responsibility.
A period in history when humans learned to harness their intelligence and creativity, while also embracing their vulnerability and capacity for love.
I don’t know what this era will be called in the future, but I hope it will be something like:
The Age of Balance and Connectivity – where humanity reached for the stars, but also discovered the vast universe within their own souls. So they conquered technology as a useful servant in order to remain free.
Those who turned the planet into a global village, having tasted the poison of exploitation and racism, preferred the unity and brotherhood of different people over false pseudo-unity and imposed divisions.
Will it be like that? It depends… it depends on me and you.