As we move further into the technological age, it's important to remember that technology was born to solve problems, but ended up creating so many other challenges. Many people underuse digital tools out of fear that automation will replace human labor. However, this resistance is fueled by fragile economies, especially in developing countries such as Brazil.
It's easy to understand why this is the case.
The book "Digital Dementia" by Dr. Manfred Spitzer, which we'll discuss later, is even a reference on this subject.
In countries where repetitive work is cheap, companies are reluctant to invest in technology and the professional development of their employees. Teaching someone to think critically and solve problems is one of the most expensive actions for a company, and it means a lot of work and long-term capital investment.
Meanwhile, in countries where capital is less scarce, repetitive services are carried out grudgingly and there is almost no labor available for this type of work, which leads inventors (by which I mean the companies themselves) to invest a lot of capital in developing technologies to replace these jobs, which makes knowledge limited to a very small part of the population.
In any of the above scenarios, this mentality is leading a generation of young people to lose cognitive skills and the ability to think critically. Young people have been spending hours in front of screens, absorbing superficial content and comparing themselves to digital influencers.This prevents the development of essential skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving. We are witnessing an epidemic of misuse of technology, which is affecting not just individuals, but the whole of society.
A mindset or even a set of actions that often leads to unsustainable practices, such as offering salaries and benefits above what the company can afford in the long term. The result? Losses, mass layoffs and a culture of illusion and superficiality.
Here we return to Dr. Manfred Spitzer and his detailed analysis of how society, especially young people between the ages of 15 and 30, is being affected by misguided digital stimuli is truly revealing.
Dr. Spitzer questions whether the ease of access to information provided by Google is making people less inclined to seek knowledge in a deep and meaningful way and this creates an era of instant gratification, where everything is within a click's reach, and no longer our ability to think critically and creatively.
In the corporate world, digital dementia is a serious and little-discussed issue, because we are so busy with our daily tasks that we overlook the importance of talking about the negative effects of technology on our lives and our minds. It's time to wake up to reality and start debating this topic openly.
Have you ever asked your employees to think about the work they do? Can't they awaken a critical sense, talk about processes, improvements and think about how technology can help them, not limit them? Can't we think of ways to use technology to our advantage?
It's time to think about a balance between the benefits of technology and the dangers of over-dependence on it. It's time to rethink our relationship with technology and start investing in developing young people's cognitive skills.
The future of our society depends on it.