In this ghor kalyug era, more importance is given on the intelligence/smartness/shrewdness than moral values! And the reason is simple- as we move towards a more materialistic society, we need more money to survive and fulfill our desires. And intelligence earns us more money- either by doing a job, or being a professional expert in some area, or doing business. And what about values? Values are considered as something extra or add-on, but not very essential in today’s times. Even if you are intelligent and crooked, then also it is not considered as something very abhorrent by the society. Infact, being intelligent and crooked can at times earn you more money than being intelligent and ethical!
This is the reason why our school education system relies more on imparting intelligence, knowledge and skills vis-à-vis good values! Everything is centered around for making the child more employable in future, so that he/she can earn more money. Money, money and money! If that is the only goal, then saam-daam-danda-bhed don’t seem to be immoral or unethical! Infact, even if a businessman or a politician or a “dada” is morally bankrupt, but if he/she has money, then people respect him/her more, as they want some favours from the rich person.
In this whole scenario, we are missing the woods for the trees. The more important objective in schools, in particular, and society, in general, should be to make the children better human beings first! And that will happen when we start imparting good moral values- like kindness, compassion, integrity, love for fellow beings, respect, care, empathy etc. This is even more important than imparting intelligence and knowledge. Because if moral values are not imparted, then the child can become a crooked monster when he/she grows up. Then, he/she will commit all sorts of crimes, including heinous crimes and financial frauds, because the only goal in life is to acquire more power and money and nothing else. So, what else can you expect from such a crooked monster?
It is therefore, more important that before being a good employee/businessman/professional, a person should become a good human being first. Otherwise, we would be creating a world full of crooked people who will eventually destroy the human race itself!
Similar thing applies to the machines as well! Although, earlier the machines didn’t have power to make decisions themselves as they were run by the individuals, so it was necessary that the individual should be moral. Otherwise, the intelligence can be used to make deadly weapons that can destroy the whole human race and other species from the face of this earth. Now, as the machines are being imparted intelligence, with the advent of “Artificial Intelligence”, it becomes all the more important that the machines should be imparted some sort of moral values. Sounds bizarre, right? Values in machines? But, why not? When we can impart intelligence like humans in the machines, then why not similarly impart some sort of values in them too! Otherwise, the AI can become a crooked monster that will have potential to destroy its own creator i.e. humans.
Some sort of ethical framework is quintessential for the humans as well as the machines. Otherwise, the future will be like a sci-fi movie, where the humans would be running around for their lives from their own creations. And that will be a very sad day for humanity, because we will have no other people to blame for our own destruction. Without good values and ethical framework, the world would not be a worthwhile place to live in!
Till next time….
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