When technology ineluctably fails at making us happy

When Technology ineluctably fails at making us happy

        As a famous psychologist known for its pyramid of human needs, Maslow wondered to himself : « how to be happy ? ». He finally classified different needs we have to provide in order to reach happiness.

From bottom to top we find physiological needs, (food, water, rest) then, safety needs (security, safety), after that belongingness and love needs (intimate relationship, needs), esteem needs (feeling of accomplishment) and at the top, self-fullfillment needs (achieving one's full potential, creative activities). One step can't be reached without the previous one being completed.

An important point to realize, is that the more you rise on the pyramid the more psychologic and spiritual you get.

        We can wonder what pretends to provide us these needs ?

        During prehistory, technical progress has been used to hunt in order to eat, like spear. Then human discovered fire and used it to construct tools so as to be more and more safe and comfortable. Until there, no need to worry, technical progress has been used to reach a practical confort.

However we are currently reaching the point where Technological progress tries to provide our psychological needs. And this has taken a turn.

        Actually, technology can't deal with psychology. The more it tries the more dangerous it's for us. Let's take a look at some exemple of main technological progress in the twenty-one century.

• Social networks have been trying to complete our « love and belongingness needs. »

First, social media makes everything so much easier and quicker. But actually, simplicity can make things much more difficult. For people who suffer from depressive or anxious thoughts, social media can make them feel significantly worse. Secondly, people portray themselves in a way they want to be perceived, rather than the way they actually are. This is why they won't be loved for what they really are. This can lead to depression and mental illness.

• Occulus Rift has been trying to complete our « self-fullfillment needs. »

First occulus rift is a danger for our capacity to order or movements. Indeed, while you're wearing an occulus rift and watching at something in virtual reality like experiencing a fictive attraction in a fictive park, a contradiction comes. Indeed, your body does'nt feel what your eyes and brain are watching. This could lead to an incapacity to order our movement in real life. (… and a wish of escaping hard reality and prefering a simulation of freedom through virtual reality ?)

        The more we evolve, the more dependant on technological progress we are. We have been used to consider technology as a guarant of our happiness and our body health. However, now that we have passed our body needs, the use of technical progress will have the opposite effect on our pursuit of happiness.

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