More and more people are moving to cities, and as a result, smart cities are being presented as the way forward for sustainability. Some of the biggest institutions that exist such as the World Economic Forum have been pushing this concept. The idea behind it is to apply technology so that every aspect of city existence is made better in order to be more resource efficient and have much better services.
Smart Cities appear to be an exact solution to issues like climate change and crazy growth in urban areas at glance. This means that when data driven models are used in urban infrastructure, transportation will operate well. Such a set up will lead to less pollution and more space for everyone.
City-wide real-time monitoring and control systems matter greatly. They can keep us safe, while also addressing things like healthcare provision as well as disaster response. The integration of these technologies into our cities Will make them smarter and more sustainable.
This is where we face a contradiction; taking on a human-centered design view, we start comprehending that some elements of smart cities model do not actually correspond with what research indicates about them. In other words, these ideas did not prioritize human happiness and success accordingly, hence putting the Smart City framework ahead of our most basic social, psychic developmental needs. It’s just like they seem more focused on data optimization more than humans' happiness and community growth.
Let’s consider technology versus social connectedness briefly.
In the past, things like walking to work or shopping in a small town almost created a community among people. You came to know your friends better and you would always see someone you knew while going about your daily routine.
However now, many of the proponents of Smart Cities speak about decreasing physical movement and network involvement. It is all about automation and centralized logistics.
Think of a future Smart City where streets are empty with no signs of life. People are confined in their houses watching distant images through their screens waiting for deliveries on their door steps. In this sorry state.
Therefore we must give thought to striking a balance between efficiency and maintaining that community feeling around smart cities concept. In fact it is these human relationships that make cities lively as well as colorful according to me.
Research suggests that normal socialization is necessary for our well-being. It appears that taking part in local activities as well as interacting with neighbors has a beneficial effect on mental health beyond any reasonable doubt. Our personal community benefits of face-to-face interactions are not fully captured through one’s digital connections alone.
Smart cities, we now know, have their own agendas like maximizing our resources. However, sometimes they might be too caught up in fulfilling these goals such that they fail to acknowledge the importance of real social relations. This is true because what gives meaning to our lives are those very relationships.
Because by trying to standardize everything in our cities, we put at risk the vibrant and unique factors arising from human creativity. These are the elements that make our communities prosperous and successfull.
There is no better way to describe communities than by comparing them to a beautiful quilt woven with various architectural designs, interesting public art installations and diverse cultural practices. An ever growing sense of exploration, surprise and a deep sense of belonging; each person’s specific creative spark contributing into this fabric happening.
It may be time to step back and take a different look at the Smart City idea. We have to find a way to strike a balance between performance and social. Our cities can hence become not just smart, but also bustling, varied, and livable.
Dependence on technology can greatly weaken our autonomy. Well, using technology to run our everyday tasks faster could be helpful but it has its own cons. The other risk is that if we start concentrating everything into government controlled community structures, it may change who we are. It would seem like we cannot think or know on our own anymore. And listen to this; once something goes wrong with us as individuals, we become completely incapacitated.
But wait till you hear the worst part of it all. Just imagine; what if our basic functions in terms of transportation, energy supply or waste management were managed through automated infrastructure? So now there’s no need for us to really learn even the simplest practical skills because everything is taken care of by the system itself. Wonderful isn’t it? Actually no because while these complex systems will enslave us their entire communities feel weak and exposed such that everyone feels vulnerable within those societies.
Moreover, don’t forget the stable digital connection of today. It’s great, but it’s also dangerous as well. In case of a breach in the digital structures, we are left exposed just like sitting geese. The more we rely on machines to handle everything for us in our city, the more we stand at risk for losing something very basic: our ability to be independent.
Being self-sufficient is like having a secure internet. This allows us to live strong and durable during times of hardships or emergencies. And trust me, this means a lot to society at large.
So yes, the smart cities model is interesting and all that; however this should not become an instrument for our dependency on them.
It doesn’t have to be technology taking over everything; rather it can enhance our social psychological personal wellbeing. When used correctly, it could actually be a genuine recreational change towards harmonization too. But hold on, let us not forget it should never take away what really fulfills us as humans. Always remembering that people come first with sustainability in mind.
Every one of these benefits ordinary individuals such as ourselves and the entire planet earth as well. And what makes this satisfying is that they do so sustainably. Therefore, let’s embrace technology but still remain human!