In this edition, Andy and Mike both see progress in independence – the self-driving taxi, the rented e-scooter, the branded self.
But where does independence end, and isolation start? What’s lost when transport becomes more atomised and the incidental exposure to other people is lessened? Psychologists have long shown that regular, unplanned human contact builds empathy; without it, our ability to relate quietly erodes. In a world where we continue to valorise the creative act (so often portrayed as the work of the lone genius), is the muscle we really need to exercise the emotional intelligence Maria has come to own and take pride in? Forget art – empathy might be the most radical act left.
And if we’re not careful, we’ll have chosen all the accessories that signal the kind of person we’d like others to think of us as being, and realise there’s no one around to appreciate it.