After his election to the papacy last month Pope Leo XIV gave insight to his selection of the name he chose. He referred, as I expected, to Pope Leo XIII’s focus on the well-being of working-class people in the rapidly changing socio-political environment of the late 19th century. Just as Pope Leo XIII saw the dangers that the Industrial Revolution posed and the looming specter of the Marxist ideology, which was looking to control the working class, Pope Leo XIV has stated he sees the dangers of out-of-control technology in the present day as a great threat to our humanity. Both of his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, also referred to the potential dangers in these technologies.
As an American who spent his priesthood in North America, South America and Europe, and as the Superior General of an order with missionaries and educators worldwide, Pope Leo XIV has seen the full spectrum of global cultures. I focus here on his dedication to education, which was the foundation of the spirituality of St. Augustine, represented by the words “Tolle Lege, Tolle Lege” (take up and read, take up and read). Develop your mind to think. Lack of critical thought is the peril of the modern world.
I attended the Augustinian High School, Mendel Catholic, in Chicago and I am aware of the dedication of the Order to St. Augustine and their focus on education; more precisely on the ideal of education overall which is to train us to think. The simple collection of facts is not true education. Training the mind to analyze and discern is, in fact, the proper goal of education. A mind trained properly connects with his or her spirit and is open to inspirations. I have, however, seen more dependence on technology in all aspects of our lives in recent times, something that is expected due to the availability of new tools that make our daily tasks easier while carrying potential dangers to our overall well-being.
Businesses must compete in the marketplace. As a result, efficiency is the order of the day, and it is not all bad. But what is the human cost of efficiency? Once again, the new “21st century technological revolution” poses many of the threats to humanity that unchecked industrialization posed in the 19th century. On an individual basis, if left unchecked, technology can lead to intellectual laziness and confusion regarding fact and fiction. It can also lead to the discarding of people, replacing one cog in the operation with another, failing to differentiate between an individual with the breath of God within and a manufactured system.
I have seen a drastic reduction in personnel in businesses that I deal with as we become more dependent on technology and less on interaction with people. The airlines are a good example of this unfortunate development. Like every frequent flier, I am proficient on the airline apps, but there are times that a human voice can help better. Last week I arrived at the airport and noticed that the premier check-in area had very few people and they were directing all to a general bag drop point. This was not a great inconvenience, but it illustrated the reductions in staff, the lack of friendly human faces, that is becoming normal. Self-check outs at most stores have become the norm, as have “chatbot” responders at call centers. What happened to those employed in these jobs that apparently do not exist any longer? Growing up in the “rust belt,” Vice President JD Vance has spoken of the difficulties that a de-industrialized segment of society caused for many people in his life. To his credit he lifted himself out of the depressed culture, but many are not capable of that.
The Necessity of Objective Critical Thinking
Indifference is also the plague of the day. The “isms” of the 20th century have led to the indifference of the 21st century. As a result, we fail to fully see the dangers that advancing dehumanization poses. There is also a greater dehumanizing effect and a lessening of thinking and proficiency that results when we allow technology to think and act for us. Our cars have all the modern-day technologies, blind spot monitors, rear view cameras, and collision avoidance systems as do most every car I rent. Several weeks ago, while my car was being serviced, I used one of our shrine vans to run a couple of errands. This is an older vehicle without all the high-tech amenities of newer cars. Twisting my neck while backing out and changing lanes, I realized how dependent I have become on the modern technology. The fact is that a little bit of our humanity is left behind as we become more dependent on technology and less on our human abilities. On my trips to Europe, I look forward to renting a car with a manual transmission. Studies show that there are less mishaps when the driver is more engaged with the vehicle.
The Holy Father has indeed expressed his concern about out-of-control technology and in particular artificial intelligence. At what point does the machine “mind”, with greater calculating efficiency than the human mind, become the authority under which we operate. Science fiction has for decades presented the idea of a master race of machines as viable. We all remember the menacing robot in “The Terminator” and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s classic line, “I’ll be back”! This seemed far-fetched 40 years ago, but as we see the advances in technology there is a genuine fear that we might be ruled by a race of bodies without souls. No force is without a motivator behind it, however. If it is not the force of God what else can it be?
The Latin word for soul is anima, from which comes the word animation, or life. Our souls are the conduit between the functional body and the Creator who not only gives us life but provides continual direction and inspiration all our days. St. Augustine stated, “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” It is through receptiveness to Divine inspiration that we fully mature. Nothing man-made can achieve that standard.
Throughout history God has communicated to us through uneducated individuals who operated on simple faith. Through these encounters with the likes of St. Juan Diego, St. Bernadette Soubirous, the children of Fatima, St. Faustina and others, through His greatest emissary, Our Lady, we have received the most monumental instructions possible. Through their pure hearts they brought warnings and direction to the world. The Divine Wisdom of the Creator can never be matched by the calculation of techno-intelligence.
Critical thinking is the sign of a person who communicates through their soul. True educators understand that their goal is to set a student’s mind on seeking truth and not to accept the naturally biased presentations of individuals. The intellect only reaches true maturity when it is balanced with humility. St. Augustine, who once believed that he was too sophisticated for Christianity, eventually realized where his great intellect came from, converted, and excelled beyond expectations.
Technology has a place, but it must remain a tool and not a source of thought. We are not mechanical beings, nor are we to be directed by such machines. We must be directed by a conscience which is formed and nurtured by Divine inspiration.
“Tolle Lege, Tolle Lege” (take up and read, take up and read).
God bless you and Mary keep you in her Immaculate Heart.
David M Carollo
Executive Director
If you wish to comment, please contact me at [email protected].
David M. Carollo is the Executive Director of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA/National Blue Army Shrine. He wrote this for his Voice of Fatima column.
If you would like to comment on this post, please contact him at [email protected].
