It already seems less than normal to me. Folks are anxious and sick. We are nearly all wired to an electronic device at all times, whether it be directly to a cell phone, or surrounded by smart technology. There are fewer parties, and our youths don't have any idea how to dance
We have no control of how it will unfold but we can control how we interact with it.
We can control how it unfolds, by how we interact with it. Do not allow facial scans at airports. Do not get real ID. Do not use AI. Do not go to medical facilities unless your life depends on it. Do not carry your cell phone everywhere you go, or get rid of it altogether. Pay cash for everything possible, and do not use Amazon. Grow your own food. Support local farmers.
There is an interesting article in the NYTimes today, drawing parallels between now and 1920. Of course it draws a conclusion I disagree with, that we Americans have got this because we have right on our side (what a load of hooey) and that Trump is the problem, but we can see the exact same playbook being used, starting with a fake pandemic, the Spanish Flu and a senile president. We've got to become wiser here! Do not comply! Do not accept! Question EVERYTHING you have been taught or told!
Whatever we believe personally, our next steps are the most important in humanity's collective history. The stakes are higher than most can possibly imagine. We should enter this societal transition with eyes wide open, fully conscious of the decisions we’re making, and the myriad of potential long term implications that lie before us.
There is definitely a distinct difference between how generations communicate and interact with each other. I see so many younger folks who communicate with zero visible emotion on their faces. Research has proven excessive screen time affects our brain's physiology and function, in some significant ways.
We can choose how we interact with AI in a micro, personal sense but at the macro level I don't think we'll have the same measure of control. It feels like a runaway train that's gaining speed. Kind of like mobile phones, it will saturate our world and effect even those who choose not to use it. It's a slippery slope because I think we might actually need AI to unlock knowledge that can make our lives infinitely better but integrating our bodies and minds with it will be highly dangerous and leave us susceptible to others' nefarious control, influence, and even hacking.
At this point I question everything and I hope and pray many others are following the same playbook. : )