The paradox of change

Change has remained the pivotal point of human history. The idea of change in the structure and composition of society has been advanced by many civilisations from Nomadism to Artificial Intelligence (AI). At the same time, as we are more concerned about change, humans have remained the same in their basic makeup of life. In spite of changes in communication devices and political systems, the idea of human connectivity and the pursuit of power and authority have remained constant throughout human history. The more we change, the more we remain the same.

The Industrial Revolution brought a colossal technological and economic shift to human civilisation. Despite this change, the underlying human traits persist. For example, inequality has been the core issue of human society from Mosses to Muhammad (PBUH). Inequality thrived and persisted regardless of the shift in technological and economic base in human society. The propensity to inequality is a fundamental human trait in nature. It continues to shape us in different ways, even in a new AI revolution of the 21^st century. In the coming days, those who own data, technology and information will own the world. The parameters of inequalities will be drawn at new levels and new frontiers. The inherent trait of inequality persists despite changes in technology and production scale.

In modern society, technological improvements and shifts in culture are predominant. Consider the advent of the digital era, which has led to radical changes in the way we communicate and interact with one another. While devices and platforms for contact have developed, the fascination with human connection and the essential need for social bonds persist. Social media is a premium example. Despite its digital essence, it often reflects traditional structures of gossip, accentuating the enduring human propensity for sharing information and staying connected. It is important to acknowledge that technology and culture may transform the means of interchange, but they do not change the importance of human interaction itself. Face-to-face dialogues have evolved into video calls, and handwritten notes have been remade into emails, but the underlying human necessity for relationship and manifestation stays unaltered.

Medical science has changed the paradigm of healthcare. Unprecedented medical innovation has increased the lifespan of human beings. But despite advanced medical techniques, surgical instruments and genetic engineering, humans are still fearful of death. Existential questions about life and death remain a fundamental human concern. It shows how regardless of Healthcare Advances, we are not changed in the basic aspect of life which is fear of mortality.

From the American Revolution to the Arab Spring, political systems changed. But power dynamics endure. All the efforts for democracy, participatory governance and inclusive state institutions, the basics of the power struggle don’t change. The underlying struggle for power, and authority, is still persistent. All the transformative political dynamics couldn’t change the dynamics of human nature to capture power and authority.

In modern days slavery is abolished. It is a long history to wipe out slavery across the globe. But it may be intrinsic to human nature. Even though slavery is banned, humans still hire other humans to aid them in their domestic endeavours. While it is a soft form of slavery, it shows how the instinct to employ other humans for their cause has been part of human evolution for thousands of years.

Finally, the human nature of violence is still intact. We have developed formats to combat nuclear proliferation. But still, we are progressing in modern weapons, and use of AI in the arms race manifests human nature for violence. Even though we are the most civilised creatures on the global earth in history, we are still ardent to carry the primitive instincts of war and violence. Many ongoing wars, proxies and guerrilla combat tactics present a vibrant illustration of the paradox of change. The more we change, the more we remain the same.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2023.

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