Pope Francis, the venerable leader of the Catholics, is distressed that the world is “losing its heart”. His concerns may have been prompted by today’s world that is scarred by war, social and economic imbalances, rampant consumerism, and technologies that threaten to undermine human nature.
Along with such a grim view of the world, as set forth in his fourth encyclical or circular that the head of the Catholic Church would historically send to all the churches of a particular area, Pope Francis is hoping that his thoughts, which are disseminated worldwide instantly today in different languages, would invite reflection from everyone who must not fail to see that things may be going wrong for mankind as a whole.
What should be causing greater worry is that beyond the pessimism caused by current conditions that the pontiff should believe the world is losing its heart. It will appear so if you look at how ubiquitous technology driving the cell phone has gotten that people have little time for just about anything or anyone else except what interests him or her in the World Wide Web.
It is the undermining of the social nature of the creature that is a human being by the distractions of modern technology that defines the worry for the future. Such changes is technology ringing in that people may even start believing, say, that Google is God, or virtual reality is real, or fake news is truth.
Considering how algorithms seem to be demonstrating how it can help manipulate people’s behaviour and choices, we do not know yet what perils artificial intelligence has in store for humanity. As even the concept of God is being continuously challenged by what technology is designing, it is not only a man of God like a religious leader who must worry about the future.
Regardless of whether God can help, or reason will allow man to see the light, it is important that the leaders of men and nations realise what pain social and economic imbalances are causing even as wars are raging to pour more misery on mankind already confused by the march of technology.
