I am old and tired but can you hear me out? 
By definition, aging is a learning process. Being fortunate enough to maintain one’s intellectual abilities and sense of observation while getting old allows one to tap into a power that some may call wisdom. But even wisdom can be difficult to identify and may sometimes appear quite confusing.
Throughout a life rich in travel, events and encounters, I have witnessed historic junctures, sweeping historical changes, and experiences inviting greater reflection. In my articles, I have tried to distill some of my thoughts and experiences with the goal of transmitting them to people of all ages and backgrounds.
I have particularly focused on our environment, imagining and taking account of the flights of butterflies and clouds, and the growth of palm trees.
Lately, I have reflected increasingly on how humanity has historically experienced the dominance of certain nations, regions, or ideas. It seems to me that often such dominance turns into a form of monopoly, which is something we nobly try to prevent in most aspects of life and society.
Subjecting everyone to the same ideas or influences all the time makes for a world that is not truly living, thinking or evolving. It is an elitist form of control, and I fear technology today is doing just that.
When I seek to broaden my understanding of issues or ideas by asking Google or the tools of artificial intelligence for more information, I increasingly feel as though the information I am provided is very one-dimensional.
As technology smooths all edges and seeks to find a one-size-fits-all for us, I feel we have lost who and what we are, existing in a netherworld of mental dulling and monopolization through technology. This is particularly noticeable on more contentious issues such as Palestine and other ongoing conflicts.
Subjecting everyone to the same ideas or influences all the time makes for a world that is not truly living, thinking or evolving. It is an elitist form of control, and I fear technology today is doing just that.
We are denied a look at the other side and the other side is denied being part of the equation. The term artificial intelligence quite accurately describes what I am seeing. I would have preferred to be assisted by a ‘new’ or an ‘augmented’ intelligence.
I direct this interrogation mostly toward a new generation that is growing up with technology and will have to consider the mental monopoly it is exercising on us with little accountability behind just a handful of technological gurus.
I am not sure exactly how to articulate what I am perceiving; as a user of technology I do not have any special insight into it. I simply want to pass this message on to the new generation and ask you to think for yourselves and question technology and its effects on a daily basis.
We are not truly participants anymore, I am not seeing as much lively and constructive exchange, even confrontation, as I used to. But this is essential to learning and to finding new answers and solutions. The algorithms feeding us are opaque, without personality, without taste. We do not know who is hiding behind the wall, or even why.
I do not have the answers, but I believe the questions are essential to keep in our minds. This article may have confused you yet more, but all I ask of you is to occasionally try to peek out of this pool of confusion and consider the world around you, the information around you, and where it is coming from.
As an old man this is what I would most like to transmit to a young generation.
• Hassan bin Youssef Yassin worked closely with Saudi Arabia’s petroleum ministers Abdullah Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani from 1959-1967. He led the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972-1981 and served with the Arab League’s observer delegation to the UN from 1981-1983.
