I saw this commercial on TV a couple of times this weekend. I’ve decided it is dehumanizing, defined as “deprive of positive human qualities”. Why do I say this? Because I see many images presented that show remarkable humans doing fantastic things, with a voice-over stating “technology has the power…” or “technology has taken us…” or “it [technology] gives hope …” To me, this is depriving us of positive human qualities, for in each case it was humans designing, producing, reinventing, and creating, with technology as one building block in a much larger effort. It is dehumanizing.

The title of the YouTube video: “Microsoft 2014 Super Bowl Commercial: Empowering”

What do you think – Dehumanizing or Empowering?