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Ayesha Sayed

Student, UAEU

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Are we becoming less human?

I was chatting with my friends last night and we got on the subject of work/education. As I was listening, I was shocked to discover almost all of them speaking of their work/studies as being very robotic, not human, emotion less. And when I pointed it out, they were equally shocked to realize that they don't really feel human whilst working/studying. They feel like they lose parts of themselves and become like a device that executes this or that. Are we becoming less human?
A second part of the debate was what makes us human, are we losing our humanity as well? I realize it's a very open question but I wanted to put it out there.

Topics: dull work humanity
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    Dean Gems

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    Jan 7 2012: I find it hard to believe we are less of humans when social netwroking, blogging, facebook, twitter, and almost whole of world wide web borders on bringing us together. TED talk is doing the same as is this conversation. If we have to talk about social evils and other such issues that throw the humanity into this vortex of dehumanization, I believe that having an ideal or utopian concept of life is misleading and dangerous. Being human essentially means responding to the situation and adaptiing such that we can susatain ourselves atleast. Although it may not be relevant, I feel the need to point out that you have referred to only work and studies, something that almost no one likes to do. If a 5th grader made the same excuse, we know what our response would be. Occam's Razor- sometimes the simplest explanation is right. We have opportunity to do our own business, pursue our interest, healthcare facilities, and loads of other stuff. Infact, we are spoilt for choices. No one ceases to be a human merely due to boredom, repetition or disinterest. Our need for change is in itself a sign of humanity. Our capacity to identify and empathise with the unwarranted dynamics of life and world makes us human. Your conversation with friends that provoked you to explore it and the sharing of their opinions makes us human.

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