Do you remember Wall-E and the Axiom? If not, then you may want to go and watch the movie before reading on …
What comes into your mind when thinking about the humans on the Axiom? They are harmonious, homogenous in lifestyle, well-functioning and polite. They follow the daily routines and enjoy somehow the time on the ship. The ship has taken control of their life and organizes it for them. Everything is predictable, under control and automatically managed 24×7.
An interesting question is if such a comfortable state is really desirable. Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills in unexpected situations. But what is the result if intelligence is actually no longer required in daily life? The axiom could stimulate the humans by creating surprises and challenges but the people would soon figure out that this is only a game and does not really matter. If typical human skills are no longer required, what motivates people? What is the value and position of humans in such an environment?
The situation on the Axiom is an extreme state. But the question if we are progressing in such a direction is interesting.
It feels that the civilised world wants a “constant” to make all predictable and eliminate negative surprises. But such events may often not be positive or negative by their own. It is more how people react to them. If a system like the Axiom takes care if everything, will human intelligence, processing, or even value degenerate?
When people are in such a comfortable state, will they try or attempt something new – fearing to lose what they already have? Could the evolution of our society bring, as a consequence, a complete loss of agility? Are we already on the way to such a state caught in daily routines defined by others?
FINthinkers 