Growing up with older brothers enabled me to become a good athlete. I was always playing against people better, bigger, and stronger. Often it also meant I was stuck in net and became target practice. Over time, I improved. However, I learned more than just athletic skills. Early on, they could score at will, but some days one of my brothers or their friends let me be the ‘hero’ of the day, not them. They chose not to score. Or they chose to pass so I could score. There was no pattern to this, they just did it sometimes.

As we grow, experience new things, interact with others, we evolve and learn. Our perspectives change as unconsciously.

Technology follows patterns programmed in its code. It’s ‘perspective’ changes when we change its code. This is slightly different with artificial intelligence which can ‘learn’. AI learns through millions of small tests. Technology seeks a particular goal without an understanding (or care) of consequence. It seeks ‘efficiency’ often defined by speed and financial cost.

Efficiency, defined in this way, has no room for generousity or kindness. It has no room for letting the little brother be the hero. Technology is single minded in its pursuit.

Sometimes this is helpful. Often it is not. We get to choose when to apply it.

Photo by Braden Barwich