Butlerian Handbook
Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
If we reach a point where the choice is all or nothing, we must choose nothing.
Do something every day that does not compute.
This is not a list of virtues and vices. I’m not arguing that all the “less human” actions are bad; many of them I do, and plan to continue doing.
It’s not an argument for returning to a supposed Golden Age. We cannot go back the 1950s, the 1850s, or the 1350s, and should not if we could.
But it’s time to examine how we live with technology. What is the aggregate result of all the small changes we’ve accepted? We cannot accept a priori every technological advancement as good. We may need to pump the brakes.
- Stationary computers are more human than carryable computers. Carryable computers are more human than wearable computers. Wearable computers are more human than implanted computers.
- Shopping in a physical store is more human than shopping online. Buying from a person is more human than buying from a machine.
- Watching a movie recommended by a friend is more human than watching a movie recommended by an algorithm.
- Meeting in person is more human than meeting virtually.
- Paper maps and digital maps are more human than GPS turn-by-turn directions.
- Push lawn mowers are more human than riding lawn mowers. Tending your lawn is more human than paying someone else to tend your lawn.
- Asking a machine to do something you understand how to do is more human than asking a machine to do something you don’t understand how to do.
- Standard is more human than metric (Imperial and US customary measurement systems are more human than the International System of Units (SI system)).
- Art created by humans is more human than art created by machines.
- Live music is more human than recorded music.
- Memories are more human than photographs.
- Memory is more human than a search engine.
- A warm house in the summer and a cold house in the winter are more human than a house perpetually set to 72° F.
- Running outside is more human than running on a treadmill.
- Sunlight is more human than electric light.
- Preparing food is more human than buying prepared food.
- Driving a car with the windows down is more human than driving a car with the windows up.
- Worshipping in a church is more human than watching a church service on TV.
- Experiencing an event is more human than taking a picture or video of an event.
- Single-tasking is more human than multi-tasking.
- Being occasionally bored is more human than always being occupied.