Why Humanity Matters

Raison d’être

At a recent dinner with startups and venture capitalists, I got asked: “What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?”

I had to give it a long pause. Aside from mortgage obligation, why do I do what I do every day? Certainly economics would dictate the necessity of getting a job. But to get through almost 4-hour roundtrip commutes to downtown, or to survive a jet-setting lifestyle on an almost weekly basis, it has to be more than just a paycheck, doesn’t it?

Chris Skinner wrote on his blog today about the future of work and what we would do if technology became intelligent enough to do everything for us. It reminded me of the movie Wall-E, where humans of the future would move around leisurely in self-driving vehicles and robots of all kinds roamed around to serve the needs of humans. The movie was made nine years ago; it is fascinating to me how much of the hypothesis have come true throughout the last few years with technological advances. Most of us can’t remember a single phone number since we have become so reliant on our smart phones. (Fun Fact: The first generation of iPhone was released 10 years ago in 2007.) My Apple Watch has a reminder that pops up and reminds me to “Breathe”. It is mind boggling how much we have come to depend on technology with our day-to-day lives. Sometimes I wonder, will this make us lazier and dumber as a result? Are digital technologies slowly eroding our fundamental need to connect deeply with other humans and with our inner selves?

Mindshare released a report recently highlighting some interesting emerging tech innovations and how they impact consumers and brands in the future. It’s an interesting read. 

Significance of Number 42

In the comic science fiction “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams, Deep Thought (aka the supercomputer) revealed “42” to be the ultimate answer of life, the universe, and everything. Enthusiasts searched high and low for hints on the significance of the number 42. As it turned out, the author meant it as a joke.

The question itself is a thought provoking one. We run around like headless chickens every day, taking care of our families, fulfilling our duties as corporate citizens, and going to bed exhausted. And the next day, we start all over again. Do we ever spend time, even for just a few minutes, to reflect upon our day’s activities, the people we have crossed paths with, the lives we have touched, and the impact we have on others with our actions and our words? Do we stop and take note of what life has given us? Or are we always too busy to look up and admire what is in front of us? As mundane and ordinary as life can seem to be, the world is a miraculous place, if we ever stop to take notice.

As I reflect upon my own journey, I feel fortunate that I can be in a position to choose what I do and where I work, and to be able to drive meaningful results. Long ago, I used to aspire to be a chief solution architect. (Can you spell geek?) I was intrigued by 1s and 0s and I wanted to spend my work life connecting boxes. As I get older, I realize work has to be more than that. Instead of connecting boxes and systems, I want to connect people and make a positive impact. Afterall, technology is merely a means to an end and the world needs humanity to survive.

To serve and not be served

AARP Founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus once stated: “To serve and not be served” as something that embodies the vision of the Washington DC-based non-profit organization which advocates for the benefits of the older adults. This is similar to the values that I grew up with, and something that resonates with me a great deal. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look too far to see plenty of examples that are in complete opposite of that philosophy. Far too often we see politicians play games that directly affect the well-being of their constituents. Which begs the question: Isn’t the inherent role of public servants to put the interests of their constituents first? Or are we so ego-driven that we have forgotten our mission in the first place?

Imagine

What would our future be with continued technological advances? Will machines take over? Will we be relegated to second class citizens and take orders from our own creations, as a lot of science fictions and publications would have you believe? Or will humanity cease to exist as we know it today, not because of machines and robots, but perhaps by humans themselves?

We are all connected, one way or another. As a good friend always reminds me, we don’t meet people by coincidence; they are meant to cross our paths for a reason. Whatever that reason might be, whatever the meaning of 42 is for each one of us, one thing is for certain: The future is not yet written. As an optimist, I’d like to believe in our ability to write our own destiny. And ultimately, technology will enable and empower us to become better humans, better spouses, better friends, and better citizens of the world.

As the lyrics go in one of my favorite songs, Imagine by John Lennon:"You may say I am a dreamer. But I’m not the only one."

“ Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” Dead Poets Society