The thought of implanting a microchip into my body is horrifying. I can’t fathom why anyone would want to integrate digital technology into our organic bodies — it reminds me of the “Borg” from Star Trek. But, for whatever reason, Swedes are happily doing just that.
I read an article in The National Post that bothered me on many levels. Here are excerpts of that article:
Thousands of Swedes are inserting microchips into themselves
They’ve been inserting NFC chips somewhere between the thumb and the index finger. These are the same microchips that have been used to track animals and packages.
Thousands of people in Sweden have inserted microchips, which can function as contactless credit cards, key cards and even rail cards, into their bodies. Once the chip is underneath your skin, there is no longer any need to worry about misplacing a card or carrying a heavy wallet. But for many people, the idea of carrying a microchip in their body feels more dystopian than practical.
Some have suggested that Sweden’s strong welfare state may be the cause of this recent trend. But actually, the factors behind why roughly 3,500 Swedes have had microchips implanted in them are more complex than you might expect. This phenomenon reflects Sweden’s unique biohacking scene. If you look underneath the surface, Sweden’s love affair with all things digital goes much deeper than these microchips.
Apparently, some of the Swedes who are embracing this alarming tracking/chipping/morphing are known as “transhumanists,” which the National Post explains are:
“The other group are the transhumanists, who focus on enhancing and improving the human body – with the aim, in the long run, of improving the human race. Only through bettering ourselves – and escaping biological boundaries – will humans be able to compete with AI in the future.”
Check out this disturbing video:
Technology can be a good thing, but it also comes with incredible risks — risks to our personal freedom, our mental and physical health, and, some technology has even put our entire way of life in jeopardy.
As we witness technology creeping into our lives in unwelcome ways, many people are increasingly disillusioned with unbridled technology and this latest example is particularly off-putting.
Consider this: the European Union just implemented very strict privacy laws known as The EU General Data Protection Regulation. These strict laws caused havoc across the internet, as companies raced to meet these new rules. I have to ask — if they’re so concerned with privacy for their citizens, why would an EU member-state think that putting a chip into human bodies was in any way, a good idea?
We are living, breathing flesh and blood creations. We are not meant to have our bodies integrated with computer technology and that is especially true for commercial/economic reasons. I think that ultimately, more harm than good will come of this.
If one is a positive person who is happy with his or her life, having a computer chip implanted into your body would be a repulsive act. Perhaps the people who are embracing this computer-human integration aren’t happy with their lives? But alas, we are free to make the choices we feel are best for us as individuals. I just hope the people of Sweden chose wisely.
Read the full article on The National Post.
