We are Humans, Not Robots

In the past lectures, our class has conceptualized a dystopian and a utopian Chicago of the future. In thinking about this, I came to realize some important truths. First of all, a truly utopian city would not have an over abundance of technology. A utopian world is one where all aspects of society and life are in their elements. Utilizing technology to do all tasks, especially ones humans used to be able to do on their own, is often perceived as a great benefit of a digital empire. I argue that this is not the case, because the more humans rely on technology, the more they loose their self-autonomy. Don't get me wrong; I love all the gadgets that I'm blessed to have. In fact, I'm writing this blog post from my iPhone at this very moment. That being said, I cannot help but worry that as technology evolves, we do too. But instead of evolving into better people, we are turning into robots. I question the necessity of many developing products in our time. Do we really need Google glasses, which are essentially computers in the shape of eye ware? Have we really become so lazy and self-involved that we need the  instant gratification of on-demand information? So often I hear stories about children and teenagers harboring serious video game and computer addictions. Kids used to rely on their imaginations to have fun, but now it seems that imagination is handed to them on a glossy touch screen. Their thoughts and ideas are no longer their own. I feel that a true utopia would not encourage its members to sit back and have media and technology fed, or even shoved, down our throats.  Indeed, a true utopia would establish the perfect balance between technology and human action. It is an environment where we are aided by its efficiency and accuracy, yet we are not completely reliant on it. A utopian city would spend more time using technology to fight illness and poverty, as opposed to promoting countless products for which the middle and upper classes have no true need. I know this balance exists in a truly idealized state of mind, but in that lies the utopian mentality as well. I sincerely hope, for the sake of humanity, that we can come to respect natural human ability and come to place that in the foreground.