In different audiences, I am often asked the question: “We are told how necessary the humanitarian component of education is today. With scientific and special technical everything is clear. And what are the arguments in favor of the humanitarian? They are not here».
Talk about the general development, culture and other things pass by consciousness. We are practical beings. Indeed, why do we need the humanities so much? And then I suddenly found not only the only, but a possible line of reasoning.
We have all heard and read about cyborgs. A cyborg is a half-robot, half-human, biological organism, containing mechanical, chemical or electronic components without which it cannot live. Do you understand? We are no longer human.
We eat concentrates, we are treated with chemistry, some people live with an artificial heart or someone else’s liver. Dependent on the computer mouse and keys. We cross the road at the traffic lights. We communicate with likes and emoticons, weaning from oral speech. Almost lost writing skills. Like counting skills. In the enumeration of tree species and bird species, hardly anyone will reach ten. The memory of time replaces the calendar and weather forecast. Orientation on the ground — navigator.
The need for personal contact with another person is minimized. We communicate with a client or partner via Skype, we receive money by card. The chief, who does business from the Seychelles, can never be seen during the entire service.
Talking about nothing is sometimes more important than a scientific conference and a production meeting
Take a simple situation: the power went out. As well as heating. Left without heat, without food, without external information. End of the world. Without civilizational weapons, we are powerless against nature, and these tools themselves are ridiculously vulnerable: not so long ago we were informed that the Large Hadron Collider was disabled by a ferret.
The body, which has not been engaged in physical labor for a long time, needs training for normal functioning. Everyone got used to this idea, although not everyone follows it. But after all, training is also necessary in order to maintain the human component in oneself. For example, communication. Not utilitarian and not business — family, friendly, club.
Talking about nothing is sometimes more important than a scientific conference and a production meeting. Art and literature are also for this. So we learn to penetrate into the state of another, we think about ourselves. There is no time for the latter. And all this is not just desirable, but necessary. For success and security, we must understand and feel the partner, clearly articulate our intentions and ideas, and together ensure responsibility. A non-contact, automatic form of existence can sooner or later lead humanity to a catastrophic oversight.