A PAPERLESS OFFICE IS A MIRAGE

No matter how technologically advanced our world becomes, there will always be, at the core of it all, a God-gifted human brain. Humans can only hope to one day achieve something remotely as surreal as Mother Nature's feat of creating a fully functional being with self-consciousness and intelligence amassing to that of a man. On one hand, we have almost flawless machines and on the other, we have the thoughts and ideas of the unbelievable human minds that gave rise to such technologies. In spite of constant development of such technologies, it is not enough to carry on by itself and thus will require human intervention at some point, therefore thwarting the idea of a paperless office with only computers.

Being the dominant species on Earth, through tireless endeavours, humans have tried to uncover the mysteries of nature, and consequently utilise that knowledge for their own benefit – thus giving rise to technological feats like the computer. But a mere machine can never replace the innovative ideas that arise in the mind of a living, breathing being. Having the ability of constantly adapting to new situations faster than anything, humans can meet any situation head on and figure out the solution. But to instil this sense into a machine, and to become completely reliant on them would be an act unbecoming of the best creatures on this planet.

It is true that every man has some imperfection in him. And along with the emotions that arise in one's mind, these can prevent him from carrying out a command with a hundred percent efficiency; whereas computers can carry out anything demanded, as long as it is within its range or capability. And there are fewer risks of unforced errors if a job is carried out by machines. From this point of view, machines might seem the better choice of relieving the day to day pressures of a man's life rather than him seeing to every problem himself. That is exactly what is happening today. All across the world, we see the advent of technology in every sphere, be it projectors over books, mechanised factory equipment over conventional workers or even state-of-the-art autopilot systems in automobiles and spacecrafts. But let's not forget the teacher, master controller and the pilot behind the high-tech devices mentioned above.

That's the beauty of the human mind. Though it might not be perfect and as efficient as a machine, still, it learns from its mistake and creates something better than before. Plus, the most interesting discoveries and incredible moments have come by accident, from Sir Isaac Newton's discovery of the Laws of Gravitation by observing a falling apple to the life-changing epiphanies that take place every day, which just couldn't be possible in a fully mechanised realm.

Innumerable disasters have riddled the journey to development of the human race. But the fact that mankind is still whizzing through the track of progress, overcoming all obstacle, is the best proof of his innovative problem-solving skills. The most basic stage of his expression of such skills: the pen and paper at the office. Through the aforementioned discussion, we realise that the notion of computers (technologies) completely replacing pen and paper (direct articulation of the innovative ideas of man) is a mirage and will stay at just that.

The writer is a student of Class X, St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka. This article won 1st Prize in the event "Creative Writing (Junior Category)" at QUEST 2015, 4th International Festival of Biotechnology held in Lucknow, India.