We are already cyborgs!
When we think of cyborgs, the first images that usually come to mind are those of Terminator or Robocop. A little scary… But at its core, a cyborg is first and foremost a human being whose body is partly, if not mechanical, at least non-human.
However, this non-human part doesn’t need to be physically integrated into our body—that’s the principle of the extended mind. For example, I have a poor memory. So when I don’t want to forget something, I make it a habit to write it down in a notebook, on my smartphone, or on my computer, depending on what I have on hand. Many apps have recently emerged to make this process easier, like Evernote. My notes then become my memory, an extension of my mind. They are an integral part of my cognitive processes, just like the rest of my brain. In other words, I am a cyborg! And you most likely are too.
Hooked on technology. A problem?
Since they first started making tools, humans have always done so to enhance their physical abilities: a hammer to hit harder, ergonomic shoes to run faster. Today, many of our tools enhance our mental performance instead. Why is it so hard to detach ourselves from our computer, our smartphone, or simply the internet? Because these tools give us instant access to what we, as human beings, desire most: information.
When chatting with friends or colleagues, or when watching a movie, sometimes we see an actor and think, “I’m sure I’ve seen them somewhere before,” or we hear something and think, “I’m sure I’ve read an article about that.” And instead of spending the evening racking our brains, we simply reach for our “external memory”,the one we always carry in our pocket, and find the answer.
More than that, the internet doesn’t just let us store infinite information, it also allows us to access and share what others have stored, to interact, and to co-create a collective memory of humanity.
Am I just a cat photo?
Now, if we accept that everything stored on our smartphone, our computer, or our social media accounts is an integral part of our personality, it becomes extremely important to pay attention to what we put there.
I practice acroyoga, do photography, and love beautiful landscapes, a pretty solid recipe for feeding a Facebook or Instagram account. At least, that’s what I thought until someone asked me, after seeing my profile, if I had quit my coaching work to do only acroyoga. That’s when I realized that the extension of my mind, my “extended self”, was only showcasing a tiny fraction of my inner self. I was therefore projecting a partial, and ultimately false, image of myself—certainly not the best way to attract the kind of people, clients, or partners I’m truly interested in!
Our extended self also needs transformation
Today, we have countless ways to learn more about ourselves, especially with connected devices. But how do we gather insights and improve our public personality, our extended self?
Others, real and virtual friends, colleagues, and LinkedIn contacts are the ones who can help us the most to transform in this area, thanks to evaluation tools that are now omnipresent in our lives. Whether it’s the rating given by our Uber driver, 360° feedback, or satisfaction surveys from internal and external clients, users, and collaborators, learning to use and integrate them into our decision-making and transformation process is crucial to evolving in today’s world. Especially since while new technologies can help us develop good habits, they can also amplify the bad ones.
We can already control a computer with our thoughts via electrodes, the microchip in our skull is not that far off. Let’s become aware of our extended self and start transforming today, so we can be prepared for what tomorrow will bring.
After all, we are already cyborgs!