It’s early Sunday morning and I ask Alexa about the weather and while she’s at it to open the garage door. I hop on my e-bike and tap the right pad of my headphones that connects me to a podcast. Technology is a beautiful thing, but not for everything.

When I arrive at the grocery the doors sense my presence and whoosh open, bringing with it the smell of baked goods and warm greetings from the employees. I check out the headlines of all the papers and grab the Sunday Times, then follow the scent which leads me to the fresh baked goods still warm in the bag that is handed to me. At this hour of the morning the store is empty as I watch my items slide along the conveyor towards the optical reader, where a bright eyed and smiling clerk will conduct the last mile of my transaction, asking me how I’m doing this morning and we continue to chat. This is also a great use of technology where two humans can have a conversation while automation updates the store’s inventory, totals are tallied, taxes are collected and the back-office tech is ready to reorder if item counts slips below their set trigger levels. With the transaction complete, my items are placed in my reusable canvas bag and we continue to chat, our voices separated out from the biophony of technology. But this last mile of human transaction is coming to an end as self-checkout technology gains a foothold.

I can understand the human replacement from a business model–let’s face it– machines show up on time, do exactly as they are instructed to do, work without pay, vacation or baggage. The business does not need to pay into workman’s compensation, social security or deal with all the issues HR handles with hiring, firing, vacation, sick days, safety or human social issues. It costs significantly less to hire a robot than it does a human. But job displacement is not the issue at hand here–– lack of human contact is.

Humans are highly social animals and we require social interaction to maintain emotional well-being. We can already see the erosion that smart devices have had upon society, especially in the young, but if this trend progresses, without balance, I fear we will be herded into isolation and loneliness with nothing to look forward to but depression and anxiety, which is great for dystopian sci-fi, but will have long-term negative effects on society as a whole.

So how do we balance this? We are not going to rewind technology–– the cat is long gone from the bag–– technology is a rising tide that will never ebb unless a CME comes along and rewinds it for us. Pray for the big one, but you better practice your fire starting skills.

I am a true lover of Sci-Fi, robots and advanced tech, and while machines can perform quick and efficient tasks, they currently lack the empathy and personal touch that their human counterparts perform so well.

With change comes casualty— we know this— but to limit this casualty there is something we can do now and that is to reestablish the idea of social clubs and places offering a stimulation of our senses; at least until advances in tech (A.I.) catch up and provide humanity with measurable benefits. The 50’s were filled with social clubs of every sort. I truly think there is a link there which led to society being so forward thinking.

I recently stumbled upon an oasis–– The Spirit Well and Sensory Lounge in downtown Stuart FL. I had been curious of this place so one day I pulled into the parking lot and explored. Opening the door to ringing bells, I felt the calm of this space. The Co-owners, Stephaie and Tracy are a delight to talk to, intelligent and are way ahead of the industry–they are in the right place at the right time. Their services offer everything from relaxation to yoga and nightly events for everyone’s interest. I am already a fan of the VibroAcoustic Chair with Red Light Therapy. As for social stimulation, there is the Scotch and Science group. The idea of sipping a scotch and talking about what I love, Science Fiction and technology… well, bring on the silence of machines.

I see this cottage industry booming in the years ahead and The Spirit Well and Sensory Lounge is already there offing a blueprint for those to follow.