Putting human beings at the center of the 4th Industrial Revolution | Nicholas Davis | TEDxCarouge

Summary

The speaker at TEDx Carew's delves into the reciprocal relationship between humans and technology, emphasizing how we shape technology and how it, in turn, shapes us. They explore the emotional responses to advancements like Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot, discussing the potential for job displacement, societal division due to unequal access to technology, and the risk of losing human connection and depth. The talk concludes with a call to action, urging the audience to be politically engaged with technology, to remain authentically human, to empower themselves with tech knowledge, and to extend this empowerment to others, especially less privileged communities.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Technology shapes us as much as we shape it, creating a reciprocal relationship that influences our identities and societal structures.
• 🕊️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of retaining a sense of humanity amidst technological advancements, suggesting that our understanding of what it means to be human is in flux.
• 👽 There's a metaphorical 'alien' feeling for some in the audience, representing the feeling of being out of place in a rapidly advancing technological world.
• 🤹‍♂️ The speaker highlights the contrasting emotions elicited by technological feats, such as a robot performing a backflip, which include amazement, fear, and a sense of connection.
• 🧠 Self-awareness and the ability to reflect on our existence are presented as key characteristics that differentiate humans from other entities.
• 🏗️ Technology affects us in profound ways, from shaping our physical environments to altering our perceptions and experiences of the world.
• 📉 The fear of job redundancy due to automation is a significant concern, with studies suggesting a large percentage of jobs at risk, although the actual impact is up to us to decide.
• 🔄 The speaker discusses the potential for technology to divide society, with a focus on the digital divide and the social injustice of leaving people behind technologically.
• 🔍 There's an emphasis on the importance of understanding the broader systems that influence our relationship with technology, rather than focusing on individual technologies.
• 🗳️ Being politically engaged with technology is crucial, as it influences societal structures and our daily lives.
• 🌐 The speaker encourages empowerment through education and the opportunity to be on the technological frontier, as well as the responsibility to empower others, especially those less privileged.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the speaker's talk at TEDx Carew's?

The central theme is the reciprocal relationship between humans and technology, and how technology shapes us as much as we shape it.

How does the speaker suggest technology influences our identities?

The speaker suggests that technology influences our identities by focusing our attention, giving us power, and shaping the world around us.

What emotions does the speaker experience when watching a robot perform a backflip?

The speaker experiences embarrassment, amazement, fear, and a sense of connection or empathy.

What are the three ways technology affects us according to the speaker?

Technology affects us by focusing our attention, shaping the world around us, and enveloping ourselves in different ways through devices.

What are the three fears the speaker mentions regarding our relationship with technology?

The fears are becoming redundant, being separated from one another, and being flattened or unable to be the full rich people we want to be.

What does the speaker suggest about the future of jobs in relation to automation?

The speaker suggests that while automation may change tasks within occupations, it often removes undesirable work and can lead to increased job satisfaction.

How does the speaker address the issue of division caused by technology?

The speaker points out the digital divide, where billions of people lack access to the internet, clean water, sanitation, and electricity, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity in technological advancement.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of being political in the context of technology?

The speaker believes being political is crucial because technology has political implications, and we need to engage with how it influences us and the decisions shaping it.

What advice does the speaker give for individuals to empower themselves in the face of technological change?

The speaker advises individuals to educate themselves, particularly through online courses and learning coding languages like Python, to be on the frontier of technological advancements.

What role does the speaker see for the audience in the city of Geneva and the canton in relation to technology?

The speaker sees the audience as having the opportunity to be political, human, empowered, and as agents of empowerment for others, especially those less privileged, in the face of rapid technological change.

What does the speaker conclude about the essence of being human?

The speaker concludes that the essence of being human is our ability to love, share, express ourselves, be curious, and wonder, which is what makes us human.