page 3

People very rarely live completely alone. Almost every day, people encounter others—either face-to-face or through technology, which, from an evolutionary perspective, has only existed for a short time. There probably aren’t that many people who go days or longer without seeing another person.

Let’s look at the bright side first. Modern technology enables people to connect with one another at any time, from almost anywhere on Earth. Especially when there’s something important to share, or when a real problem arises that needs to be discussed, technology is extremely helpful. Almost all sectors of our economy can no longer function without long-distance communication. What can still get by without electronic communication today? Perhaps fortune-telling, but that certainly makes use of technology as well. Then maybe freehand painting. But completely without it? How do you reach prospective customers or clients? Sure, there’s still the option of sending a letter by mail.

But even a relatively trivial chat, or simply sending a photo, fosters social connection. A minimal level of social contact remains important— vital, even. Of course, the interpersonal contact we need also happens in other ways. We work together. We share ideas. We do things together. We help one another. Each of us knows many such opportunities and takes advantage of them.

These days, the use of electronic communication technology plays a major role for certain groups of people. According to statistics, people spend a certain amount of time looking at what’s known as a “smartphone.” You could simply call it a phone or even a cell phone, since it can also be used to make calls and operates via radio waves. With a smartphone like this, you can pass the time while waiting, satisfy your endless curiosity, contact friends, and make new connections. And much more.

What is absolutely unacceptable is the behavior of some people with smartphones during traffic and other accidents. Instead of helping, there are people who obstruct emergency responders so they can take photos or videos unhindered. It is said that there have even been instances where a few people have attacked emergency responders because of this. What distinguishes humans in a positive sense? In addition to rational thinking, humans possess what is known as a “gut feeling.” They are capable of empathy and compassion.

Human empathy once provided advantages for humans in their evolution, long before 15,000 years ago. Empathy enabled humans to survive better in a natural environment filled with predators. They defended and protected one another; they stood up for one another. An individual could hardly defend themselves successfully against predators, but a group could. In addition to empathy, other traits were, of course, also advantageous. And besides predators, there were other problems as well.

How far have we come if empathy might actually be a disadvantage these days? Must our interactions with one another inevitably become harsher because evolution intended it that way? Or because “fate” wills it so?