Project Vision 21

“Remember that, above all, you are human”, said the last line of the message somebody sent me a few days ago. Yet, how and why should I remember my own humanness? And if I need to remember my humanness, it means obviously that I have already forgotten it.

The advice included in the message was good and well-intentioned, but I kept thinking that perhaps we don’t know what it means to be human and perhaps we never knew it. Or, if we knew it, we have already forgotten what that means and, even worst, we forgot that we had forgotten, so our knowledge is now buried in two layers of oblivions.

So, what it means to be human? Spending many years in schools to finally find a job so we can spend the rest of our lives paying debts until we die? Or perhaps accepting that those in decision-making positions will never decide anything in our favor, but only to favor themselves?  

Perhaps being human means to be always at war and to spend untold numbers of resources, including time and money, to destroy other lives. So, what’s the point of remembering what it means to be human if we destroy ourselves and we are helping to destroy the only planet we ever knew as home?

If I were truly human, why then am I known by the so-called ethnic labels that are imposed on me because the color of my skin, place of birth, native language, or other real or imaginary factors about my identity? And then, based on my fictitious identity, my income is lower and my expenses higher than those of those who decide about my own “humanity”.

In addition, what’s the point of trying to be human when the new influencers and celebrities in social media are not human, but virtual reality created by artificial intelligence, such as Hatsune Miku, Lil Miquela and the model Shudu?

I would like to know how much longer we need to wait until we realize that artificial intelligence is real, and we own intelligence seems to be more and more unreal, illusionary, and mere self-deception?

It is true that humans are capable of the greatest selfless acts and of great achievements, as well as unparalleled acts of creativity? We have seen many examples throughout history and even today. But humans are also able of acts of cruelty and intolerance towards other humans. So, who wants to be human?

Somebody may say, “Stop asking nonsensical questions and just enjoy your life.” But, can we really enjoy life if we stop asking questions and we close our eyes to reality? Should we assume that closed minds and hearts are the new and only way of being human?

At a time when we can’t even laugh at ourselves because that’s no longer accepted, questioning our own humanness, even if the question has been forgotten and ignored, it is more needed than ever if we truly want to move beyond the prehistory of humanity.