Digital Humanism: The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

Digital Humanism: sounds nice, doesn’t it? A fluffy promise that technology, for once, will serve humanity instead of enslaving it. But let’s not kid ourselves. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Digital Humanism is likely just another utopian fantasy careening towards disaster.

What is This ‘Digital Humanism’ Anyway?

Proponents define Digital Humanism as an attempt to center human values in the design and deployment of digital technologies¹. It’s a reaction against the obvious: that unchecked technological advancement is turning us all into data points in someone else’s profit model. They envision a world where AI is ethical, technology promotes well-being, and everyone has access. A world where algorithms are transparent, and developers are held accountable. Sounds lovely, if hopelessly naive.

The Core Delusions

• Ethical AI: The belief that AI can be truly ethical, despite lacking consciousness or genuine understanding². As Robert Nogacki aptly puts it, we risk creating “ethical simulacra” that merely mimic moral reasoning³.
• Digital Well-being: The idea that we can have a ‘healthy’ relationship with devices engineered to be addictive. Please.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility: A noble goal, but one perpetually undermined by the digital divide and the economic realities of access. The wealthy will always have faster internet and better toys.
• Transparency and Accountability: A pipe dream in a world where algorithms are proprietary secrets and accountability is a PR exercise.

Philosophical Window Dressing

Digital Humanism borrows from various philosophical schools to give itself an air of intellectual respectability. It waves its hand at pragmatism, deontology, utilitarianism, and even existentialism⁴. But these are just buzzwords, attempts to graft meaning onto a fundamentally hollow project. As another article notes, a complete philosophical characterization requires epistemological, axiological, ethical, and anthropological justifications⁵. Good luck with that.

Where Are the Real-World Examples?

This is where the whole facade crumbles. Proponents point to things like the EU’s AI Act, but these are just regulations, not revolutions. Where are the concrete examples of Digital Humanism making a tangible difference? Crickets. As Victoria Hernandez-Valcarcel emphasizes, transparency, security, accountability, fairness, privacy, and reliability are crucial⁶. But these are ideals, not realities. The reality is that tech companies will always prioritize profit over people, and governments will always be one step behind.

The Inconvenient Truth: Ethical Catastrophes

Let’s be honest: technology has a long history of unintended consequences and ethical failures. From social media echo chambers to AI-driven bias, the digital world is littered with the wreckage of well-intentioned projects gone awry. And there’s no reason to believe Digital Humanism will be any different. As AI systems take on greater roles, the gap between philosophical understanding and mechanical optimization becomes ever more critical³.

The Bitter Pill

Digital Humanism is not a solution; it’s a distraction. A comforting lie we tell ourselves to avoid confronting the uncomfortable truth: that technology is a force beyond our control, and its trajectory is not necessarily aligned with human well-being. Embrace the coming dystopia, because it’s already here.