That said, it is indeed technology that has brought you dear
reader to this page of my blog, which enables me to communicate with you in
such a personal form coming at you from my hometown to yours across the globe.
Like in a letter I have been given the opportunity (or taken the opportunity) to
share some of my innermost thoughts and often feelings on different subjects of
interest and concern. Yet unlike in a letter, I do not know who the addressee
is or will be and almost always do they not respond or comment, hence turning
this into a peculiar one-way means of communication.
The important thing is that you are here and that you are
willing and taking the time to read my post. For that I am truly appreciative,
and it would have not been possible without the aid of technology. But all this
is serving as a prelude to a place that has in my view fully embraced
technology as a part of their existence, lifestyle, and raison d’être, which is
mostly quite fascinating and inspiring, albeit, as it pertains to anything, it comes
with a few caveats of its own.
In fact, few places around the world are as modern and as technologically
advanced as the city of Shenzhen in China. We may claim to be living in a
technological world here in North America, but it seriously pales in comparison
to how this Chinese city is run and operated by fully integrating technology
into daily life as well as their way of life.
Full disclosure: I have not been there myself (yet), and all
my knowledge is based on a French-speaking documentary that I have recently seen.
What was demonstrated in this program was mind-blowing to say the least and
only proves how backward, in fact almost cavemen-like, we and our current lives
are in contrast, technologically speaking.
Shenzhen is a fascinating case because not only do they
fully embrace the latest and most innovative technology of the times, but this
is fully integrated into the society at large. I have always seen technology as
a means to having more ease and comfort but there can be two issues with this. Either the technology does not work as
advertised or intended (yes, I’m looking at you cursed printer!) or it is
filled with glitches. That urgent payment you need to make becomes impossible
if the server is down regardless of if it be yours or theirs that is lacking.
But in Shenzhen everything has moved to the technological
domain. So much so that any vendor, food stand, or panhandler will not accept cash
but only automatic payments, which are often accompanied by a QR code. All this
is even taken further in certain stores where you pay with your handprint or,
in some cases, the store camera may use facial recognition, see what you have
bought and then automatically charge you the amount on your credit card or bank
account on file. The idea of simply walking into a store, taking items and just
walking out without archaic forms of paying cash or card - and certainly not
committing theft - is a wonderful idea to me.
People might object about privacy, but they tend to be the
same people who then overshare on social media. At the same time, who cares if
other people can see what I am purchasing, which could be accessible by gaining
access to credit card statements. And if you do not want to be seen entering a
store with someone, then don’t enter with them. In this case, a lack of privacy
is a minimal cost to pay for major convenience.
In fact, younger generations may simply love the fact that
there is no interaction whatsoever with a salesclerk. If you prefer your interactions
online, the city of Shenzhen has it all in one place, one app that allows you
to do practically anything. If you want to make bank or mortgage payments, buy
food, hail a cab, bet on sports or buy pretty much anything online, you can do
it with an app that includes various single apps under one umbrella.
Also, if you want to have food delivered to you in a park,
you can access the vending machines that actually sell real fresh food. You
order whatever you want, and the restaurant delivers it to you in a drone by dropping
off your order in the said vending machine, which you unpack and you can immediately
recycle its packaging in the adjacent bin: voilà, now you can enjoy your hot freshly
made food outdoors or anywhere you find yourself. This was shown in the
documentary, but I am certain soon you could order the food from wherever you
are and have it delivered to you promptly with a personal drone service.
Apart from cameras throughout the city, robots are also
everywhere. That includes various self-driving cars that yield to pedestrians
more than human drivers would. In fact, your hotel service will be a robot
taking your luggage, effectively operating the elevator, and providing room
service at any hour of your choosing.
Cameras will also be found at the workplace, which would be
part and parcel of a smart building. You enter your workplace and do not
need a security card as facial recognition will let you enter. You will be
easily tracked, so employees who want to cut corners or kill time will have a more
difficult time but at the same time, you can be easily located in case of an
emergency, a fire, a natural disaster or what-have-you.
Every place with the exception of the washrooms has cameras.
The smart building will tell you of available parking spots in the building so
you do not waste any time or effort; it can automatically regulate the
temperature of your office or workplace, and it can easily detect intruders or
address threats in a prompt manner.
Speaking of intruders, there was a case of a foreigner who
in a moment of oversight had left his laptop unattended in an outdoors café,
which was stolen a few minutes later. The security guard assured him that he would
be in possession of his computer in a few hours’ time. And so, it was. They
went through the cameras spread throughout the city and were able to locate the
thief, follow his movements to his home and easily identity him through the
large database at hand.
This was the other amazing bit that crime is literally
non-existent in the city of Shenzhen. It is not due to the virtue or moral
conscience of its residents but simply due to the fact that you would get
caught. What better and more effective way of preventing crime! Residents
can leave their bikes unattended and their cars and houses unlocked, ironically
hearkening back to a good old era - at least in certain small towns - where
life was just safer and more peaceful. Unless you are a potential criminal or
you are supporting crime, this situation is a win-win for all residents.
What exactly are the drawbacks here? As eluded in my earlier
prelude, technology can be misused, abused, or used improperly. You could track
an ex and hence invade and impinge upon that person’s rightful private life;
you could watch people’s movements seen as a potential political or ideological
threat and not so much for the sake of public safety. The owner or supervisor
will have absolute control through constant surveillance of the workplace. All
of these are valid concerns that should not be downplayed or ignored and should
be accounted for.
There is also a different darker side to technology that the
documentary looked at as well in the form of AI and having an artificial
companion or a sex robot. Those are also parts of technology that would, as I
mentioned, undermine the human touch and replace it with something much less
fulfilling or satisfying.
It comes not as a surprise that this trend would also thrive
in a technologically sophisticated place like Shenzhen or any other place in
the world. Yet like with blogs, videos, and social media, we also have
accountability and the responsibility to act with integrity. At the same time,
we need business, political, and community leaders to help and support us in
this endeavor and to put certain guardrails for our overall protection.
All in all, I believe that Shenzhen is a symbol of how modern technology can make life not only easier and more convenient but also safer and more satisfying for everyone. That is the whole point of technology: to facilitate and not complicate our lives. This can be taken a step further to solve problems and even come up with solutions not only regarding daily interactions but also offering avenues for a better, more peaceful and sustainable future. We have the means, know-how and technology, so why not delve into it and make it part of our future lifestyle?
