© Sérgio Spritzer, 2021
The text of the book “Human Interaction: The Challenge of the 21st Century” examines the reality of human relationships in the contemporary world. It is intended to provide the fundamentals and an introduction for the reader to deal with the expansion of relational intelligence going far beyond the strict, linear, superficial digital environment. We are in an accelerated transformation to one of much more technological sophistication, with analog modes implying an expansion into expanded three-dimensional contexts. In them, sensitive human interaction will be determinant, contrary to the current way.
We are living in highly digitized environments, reducing the reality of human relationships to linear binary choices and an irrelevant, superficial understanding, without the richness of interaction modes mediated by the senses of sight, hearing, physical bodily sensations, affections and feelings that the body intermedia in physical space and time. But, paradoxically, we are on the verge of a technological revolution that will demand a wide and deep access to three-dimensional realities mediated by 3D technologies and very high speed internet. From the internet of things, we will immerse ourselves in an internet of people, interacting via holograms powered by physical, verbal, sensitive, fine and broad perceptual sensors.
The boundary between digitally oriented and analogically oriented environments appears in situations such as autonomous cars, when decision making does not simply depend on digital programming, but on an interactive and field perception between human intelligences operating equipment in a network of relationships. The complexity of these interactions puts the presence of the human body and analog thinking back into play, leading digital operations. Without the analog way of thinking, implying our intentions, desires, expectations, motivations, feelings, affections and emotions, digital thinking would collapse. For example, how to invent autonomous vehicles if the way they circulate depends on the intention, will and feelings of the people who use them? Users need to imagine each other using digital technologies. They will only be effectively “autonomous” when human interaction is at their command. This analog command of digital technologies requires an upgrade, an expansion of our competence in imagining, as it will be through imagination that we will deal with the technology that will serve us.
We will almost literally need to pilot our imaginations instead of typing keyboards. From the age of (digital) fingers and things we are rapidly becoming involved in an age of deeply sensitive interactions between us.
We will have to interact with our own reality and that of others through predominantly analog processes and no longer so digital. Analog processes use information similar to our senses, feelings and presentiments, via imagination, to mediate our relationships with both the physical, biological, mental and interpersonal world.
To have access to this new reality, there will be a readaptation from the digital to the analog way of thinking and the role of our imagination in accessing, designing, building and using means of acting will be essential.
The analogical reality, of an intersubjective character, becomes the center of our attention. In this book, it is examined and the author seeks ways of being Aware of oneself and of things, through methods and practices of conversation."
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