AI is going to ruin the world. We see it every day. And while the internet and electronics have become so integrated into our society, using Apple Pay at gas pumps and scanning QR codes for menus at restaurants, I hate it. Yet, I am forced to use it if I want to live an “easy” life. Screen addictions are becoming so normalized, we have to have “progressive movements” that reward individuals for staying off their devices, even if it’s just for an hour. Toddlers are increasingly embodying the iPad kid stereotype, sticky fingers, and the need to scream in every establishment, and parents don’t bat an eye. Why is it that bad behavior is rewarded and job theft from robots is encouraged?

Let’s think back to the “golden age” of the internet. Peak early 2000s, Britney Spears blasting through the headphones of edgy teenagers, bright colors, but still an irresistible urge to go out with friends and appreciate nature. The internet was fresh, but becoming progressively more advanced. People saw the potential of this technology as a tool, but nobody could have predicted where it would lead us in the current age.

While I believe technology and digital tools are useful for the progression of medicine, research, and entertainment, we need to have a balance. Instead of shoving phones into the faces of five-year-olds, we should encourage them to play outside, only using devices as treats or for educational purposes. Learning by doing, or hands-on learning, is the most effective type of learning. Yes, technology can help teach, but nothing compares to getting up close and personal with the subjects. Who doesn’t love a good chemistry experiment? There will always be applications that can simulate these experiences, but they will never be able to replace what the real world has to offer. 

We should foster environments that encourage real-world interactions and experiences. Deciding to leave your house or physically, face-to-face, communicating with someone should not be rewarded as a “hard task” that one has to push through; it should be an expectation. Imagine a world where you never had to move, just lift a finger, press a button, and anything is possible. Well, you don’t have to imagine. Games like Detroit Become Human and entertainment such as Ready Player One already see this future as a real possibility. If that thought does not terrify you, I don’t know what does. I know personally, the most fun I have ever had was during my childhood, evenings spent in the yard playing field games and swinging on the swingset until dusk, when it was finally time to come inside. There were no tablets outside, just the bugs in the dirt and the chill in the air. Imagination ran wild, and I know I am better because of it. TV was a treat, yet experiences were a part of our everyday lives. There was always something to be seen, something to go do. There was never a dull moment.

I urge you to go out and find a darkroom to develop photos, buy a Polaroid camera, or create physical media. Not only are you creating better, richer memories, but you are physically creating records. Your creativity is not at the mercy of a computer server. There is permanence in objects. There is always something to see, something often overlooked, when your face is buried in your phone.