Back in the 1980s, I was asked to write a paper for a telecommunications-based organization’s executive team’s retreat. The purpose of the paper was to help bring clarity to the impact the emerging telecommunications/digital age was going to have on the future. Entitled “Survival in the 21st Century,” this paper looked at the effect of the looming technology of computers and telecommunications and how the new digital age might impact our lives in the future.
When I was writing this book, there was no internet, no email, and no steaming video. We were just beginning to have the ability to dial into bulletin boards through our new high-speed 1200 baud modems. Companies like CompuServe, Prodigy, and AOL were our central hubs into which we could “connect”.
In the document I authored, I must admit that I didn’t fully anticipate the extent of our present circumstances or the rapid pace of change brought about by the new information age we entered. At that time, our focus was predominantly on the technology itself, with less consideration for the profound implications it would have on our daily lives.
The information age seamlessly integrated into our lives, introducing new effects every day, often compounding exponentially. While we embraced these changes, we did not fully grasp their magnitude.
Today, social media companies have infiltrated every facet of our existence. Information is now available on an unprecedented scale, with the half-life of any piece of information approaching zero. The half-life of information is the time between its acquisition and its application. In “Survival in the 21st Century,” I stated that as the expected lifespan of information approaches zero, our ability to maintain a culturally healthy society diminishes, potentially reaching the point of collapse.
As we advance two decades into the 21st century, we find ourselves in a world where information moves at the speed of light. Each piece of information must be acted upon swiftly due to its rapid dissemination and the pervasive nature of its content. Failing to act decisively and promptly on information means that someone else will.
This accelerated pace introduces a new concept: if I don’t act, someone else will drive actions that may be unwanted or even perilous. With this reduced time between discovery and application, we no longer have the luxury to ensure responsible actions by collecting additional information, applying analytical thinking, and forming a well-informed basis for action. We now find ourselves responding to raw information, often leading to highly adverse consequences for our society.
In the realm of science, a meticulous process is followed to present new knowledge. Information is gathered, analyzed, sorted, and conclusions are drawn only after careful evaluation. In science, these information points are typically visible, and they tend to remain relatively constant. Mathematics follows a similar pattern, where information points are well-defined and predictable.
However, in the spheres of politics, religion, philosophy, and relationships, the information base is in constant flux. People are inherently unstable, as their actions are often driven by emotions. This means that as we engage with others in life, we and they are likely to be influenced by these emotionally charged aspects. Consequently, we must exercise great caution in our use of information and take the time to critically assess it within the context of other information to form knowledge that allows for careful, thoughtful action.
So, how can we adapt to this new digital information age? Or perhaps the question should be: can we thrive in the 21st century within this digital information age? Undoubtedly, our culture will need to undergo significant, rapid changes. Simple everyday occurrences, like the frustration of not speaking with a real person when calling for assistance or the impersonal experience of self-checkout at grocery stores, have already become noticeable. Social interactions that were once taken for granted have been altered or disappeared. It’s not the change itself that is of concern but rather the swiftness with which change is occurring. The pressing issue is whether we have the time to apply critical thinking to the imposed changes and the capacity to navigate these rapidly changing cultural, religious, and interpersonal dynamics in our lives.
Will we endure the challenges of the 21st century?
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