Today, some new technology is available before us to solve every problem. If road accidents are increasing then install cameras, if there are irregularities then make a digital platform, if education is weak then bring online apps, if there is difficulty in governance then add AI. It seems as if technology is a magic wand that will instantly solve complex problems. But is it really so? Today we are forgetting that technology is not a substitute for real change but has become a cover for it. This cover makes us believe that we are moving in the right direction, while the original problem remains in place. This idea can be understood from the Greek philosopher Plato’s Allegory of Caves. Plato had said that if some people are confined to a cave since birth, then they accept only the shadows falling on the wall as reality, whereas the real world is outside the cave. Our relationship with technology is also similar. Take road safety for example. If a society does not have a culture of following traffic rules, can cameras alone prevent accidents? They can definitely reduce the violations for some time. People can wear helmets, reduce speed, wear seat belts in front of the camera. But was there any real change in their behaviour? Administrations and institutions think the solution is more cameras, more data, more surveillance and more centralized systems. Cameras may record violations, but who will take action? Data may be collected, but who will analyze and use it? AI can give suggestions, but who will decide? The same society that is violating? If the tendencies of carelessness, favoritism, indifference or avoidance of responsibility persist, what will technology do? History shows that technology can create opportunities, but only those societies that already have education, research, institutional capacity and capital can take advantage of those opportunities. Developing countries often face a different challenge. They are not creators of new technologies, but merely consumers. As soon as any new technology comes, they start a race to adopt it. A huge amount of resources, investment and talent starts flowing in that direction, and this is a huge trap. The result is that fundamental questions are left behind. Like does our society have independent thinking? Is he decent and cultured? Are our institutions capable? Are scientific temper, discipline and sense of responsibility developing among our citizens? Etcetera. The greenery of a tree attracts us. But if the leaves start turning yellow and someone applies green color to them, then from a distance the tree will appear healthy, but has it actually become healthy? If the roots are not getting enough water, if there is no nutrition in the soil, then the color on the leaves is just an optical illusion. The problem lies in the roots and the solution will also be found there. Society and nation are also like this. Culture, education, morality, institutional capacity and civic consciousness act as the roots. Shining the leaves while ignoring the roots may create an attractive look for a short period of time, but is not a permanent solution. (These are the author’s own views)
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Sukhveer Singh’s column: Technology is not a magic wand, solutions have to be found in the society itself.
