How Technology Will Influence Human Beings - Discussion on "Feed"

Abstract

This essay examines the effects of technology on daily life in both Feed by M.T. Anderson and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. It focuses mainly on the emotional aspect, clearly showing how technology can end up taking over our emotional depth, ability to interact with others and communicate openly. The loss of individuality through the constant surveillance and evaluation is also profound, as both Titus, Violet, and Josie are bound to social norms in which they must surrender themselves to technology, yet all 3 realize that it isn’t the best choice. Through the development of the characters and how they interact with one another, we are able to see the shreds of emotional intelligence slowly decay until they are taken over by either consumerism or imitation through robots. Ultimately, we explore in this paper how the use of technology in certain situations can change from being a really useful tool into a weapon that could destroy society.

As the world of technology and artificial intelligence evolves, the use of robots to replace things in everyday life also increases. Dishwashers instead of hand washing, microwaving instead of reheating using a pan, TVs instead of live shows are all past, trivial matters, but things like constant internet through glasses and artificial friends are still developing. The concept of technology taking over lives is thoroughly discussed in two books: Feed by M.T Anderson and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both books contain the use of advanced technology which is used in the character’s daily lives, showing how the use of robots to replace daily interactions is a temporary solution, but not one that benefits someone long-term. Both stories examine how the replacement of social interaction with technology can negatively impact a person’s emotions, relationships, and sense of self.

The emotional impact technological advancements have on the characters is profound in both books.  In the book Feed, the residents of the futuristic cities all have tiny implants or “feeds” in their brains that give them constant ads about products based on their spending habits and lifestyles. The goal is for businesses to expand and become all-powerful. However, the constant spending and buying links the citizens into a constant cycle of consumerism for the rest of their lives. This creates a sense of apathy and dissatisfaction with even luxurious pleasures such as expensive trips and haute couture clothing. “...real happiness and fulfillment take time and effort to achieve. Titus’s feed has conditioned him to expect nothing but constant, instant gratification” (Litcharts). Many times, the people who rely on feed expect to feel awed, expectant of different surprises at each item they purchase. When their expectations are not realized, though, they buy more, creating a circle of apathy and lack of gratitude. In Ishiguro’s book, Josie, the protagonist, relies on Klara, a robot to provide companionship and be a friend. A genetic process called “lifting” is also performed on the children when they are babies to enhance their intelligence. As a result, many kids are more judgemental and emotionally suppressed. They judge kids who don’t have the procedure even though they are just as capable, and are constantly less aware of major emotional events like loss. Josie isn’t even that fazed by the death of her sister because she is offered constant distractions, such as Klara. In both books, we are explicitly shown how the extensive use of technology in everyday life, the characters lose genuine emotions and the ability to be empathetic.

Apart from just weakening emotional connections, the use of technology also weakens human relationships and the efficiency of social interactions with each other. For example, in Feed, the constant ads shown through the brain implant distract many people, resulting in shallower relationships because they aren’t able to fully pay attention to one another. Instead of being built on genuine love, relationships are also starting to rely more on entertainment, appearance and trends. “I felt like I was in the middle of nothing. I didn’t know what she meant. I didn’t understand her.” (Anderson, Chapter 3). As a result of the inability to sense real emotions, in a relationship, conflicts may also arise due to the problem that they aren't able to actually understand each other. Not just what they say, but how they feel. Due to obstacles posed by the feeds, they are unable to really reflect and connect with other human beings. Compared to Klara and the Sun, this book also shows how the characters lose emotional depth in their relationships after getting used to interacting solely with robots and artificial friends. The socially accepted “lifting” procedure creates boundaries between people and establishes norms that the majority adhere to. In Klara and the Sun, a boy named Rick is perfectly capable but hasn’t gone through “lifting” and as a result, his and Josie’s romantic relationship is hindered because they both know that Rick will be held back when they grow up, and if Josie stays with him, then she will also be held back. Overall, in both of these books, the technological advancements obstruct the person’s abilities to interact in social situations, decreasing the likelihood of a fulfilling and empowering relationship or gauge emotional depth.

The use of the elaborate technology also results in a lowered and more generic sense of self. Through the nonstop consumerism and advertisements, people in Feed often describe themselves based on the brands they endorse in, not their individual characteristics or beliefs. Their ability to speak and speech is simplified leaving the residents with no way to express themselves apart from buying and buying. The surveillance from the implants also reduces privacy, which is essential for developing a personal life of just you, not you and the world. The similar case also occurs in Klara and the Sun. The genetic “lifting” makes a person’s worth become more about modifications than innate abilities. The portrait project conducted on Josie in hopes of replicating Josie’s personality in case she dies also reveals how humans can be copied by technology, decreasing the uniqueness and individuality of each human being. “Mr Capaldi believed there was nothing special inside Josie that couldn’t be continued.” (Ishiguro, Part VI). Josie was stripped of her personality, and the project showed how with AI, anything could lose its glamour and purpose. Both stories make identity and acceptance conditional, relying on external factors for evaluation instead of individual characteristics. 

In summary, both Feed by M.T Anderson and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro highlight how technology can upset some of the most precarious balances in life. In Feed, the implants constantly give users ads based on their shopping history and gathered interests, giving them instant gratification, which causes them to lose emotional depth and the ability to gauge others’ emotions. The relationships between characters, shown through the failed relationship between Titus and Violet show how without proper communication and understanding, it would  be impossible to really have a relationship on a deep level. In Klara and the Sun, Josie is unable to feel any emotions like grief or sadness, is constantly suppressed and emotionally constricted, as well as also unable to interact with other kids her age well and openly. Both texts convey the unsettling message of how technology can distort emotional life, affecting interpersonal skills and communication. These stories act as a warning to what technology could do to all humans.

Reference:

Litcharts. Apathy, Happiness, and Satisfaction Theme in Feed | LitCharts

Anderson, M.T. Feed. feed.pdf

Ishiguro, Kazuo. Klara and the Sun.  Klara and the Sun: A novel