INDUSTRY 4.0 aside, the new “SOCIETY 5.0” that will never get old
There is "CHANGE" at the base of all the topics that have been spoken in all the times.
Change permeates every aspect of our lives so rapidly that we cannot even comprehend some parts of the changes that must take place in a certain process. While many societies define and manage the change process they are in, even naming that period and making it widespread, it has already been experienced and finished before we can comprehend that process.
The production processes, which are taken as a basis to define periods throughout the history of humanity, are determined as the area where these changes take the first step into our lives. Production methods are taken as reference to definitions of social change. Therefore, while defining the periods;
Hunter Gatherer Period
Agricultural Revolution
Industrial Revolution
Information Revolution definitions are used.
While we are standing at the intersection of the industrial revolution and the information revolution and witnessing this history, which “topic” is the most talked about on our agenda, which topic are we talking about and being afraid of? Of course Industry 4.0
We have been writing, reading and talking about Industry 4.0, which has recently affected the whole world and will reshape production methods. Both those who do not know the subject, those who understand technology or those who do not know about this topic. Industry 4.0 is on everyone's lips.
Maybe we don't use it as Industry 4.0, we don't talk about it, but we talk about what it will bring to our lives, what it will change, and most of all, the risks.
Industry 4.0; In essence, it is defined as the blending of traditional production methods and innovations brought by informatics. Well; It means machines that will replace humans at low cost, unmanned and dark factories. Although we have started the information age, we are still experiencing the industrial revolution intensely. Industry 4.0 is also the newest and last step of the industrial revolution.
Throughout his life, mankind believed that every "new" he was in was the last new one, that it would last forever and that nothing better would come. Now, with this belief, he enlarges Industry 4.0 in his eyes so much that he sees all the outputs of this structure so perfectly that he says, "Here! this is the best, it can't be better, human beings have achieved this too”. He does not realize that if there are 4 of this work, there will be 5 of them, even that the 4th step has ended and the foundations of the 5th step have begun to be laid.
What is this 4.0?
Industry 4.0; It is the fourth of the industrial revolutions that have taken place since the 18th century, and each previous revolution has laid the groundwork for the next revolution.
Industry 1.0 Water and Steam powered mechanical production.
Industry 2.0 Electric-powered mass production based on division of labor.
Industry 3.0 Moving the automation of manufacturing to advanced stages with electronic and information technologies.
Industry 4.0 Introduction of production based on cyber and physical systems.
Although the ongoing momentum in the development process seems normal until Industry 4.0, it also includes threats that should not be overlooked.
In the old industrial revolutions, the need for people did not decrease, however, new professions were created. The most important difference of Industry 4.0 from other revolutions is that it will cause real unemployment and the society does not know how to deal with this problem.
Therefore; Two important details about Industry 4.0 should not be overlooked.
One of them; Will this point reached in production methods go beyond the effort to create a market for Industry 4.0 technologies?
Another, while the names of many countries, especially Germany, are mentioned with Industry 4.0; The fact that Industry 4.0 and Japan are not pronounced side by side. Moreover, while Japan is the most influential and leading country in the world in technological developments…
When we started to research on these two details; We realize that Industry 4.0 is only trying to transform the industrial field, technology is reflected more as a labor thief, and it focuses on machines rather than humans. For this reason, in an effort to create a market, unconsciously, in surrender with a magnificent motivation, making the rich richer,
We play an important role in making the poor poorer, and we invite you to play a role.
We do this by inviting a huge threat like employment, leaving everything else aside.
And the second detail is Japan. It is in this part of the research that an exciting challenge arises. Claiming that Industry 4.0 has gone one step further, Japan has proven its claim by introducing the Society 5.0 philosophy to the whole world in March 2017.
On the basis of this philosophy; "Technology; should be perceived as a helper, not a threat by societies”. The whole structure is built and planned on this idea.
The “5.0” at the end of this philosophy refers to the fifth of the periods that define the production processes we mentioned earlier.
This philosophy; It not only goes one step beyond Industry 4.0, but also creates a completely different structure that takes it under its roof. So it looks like an exciting challenge. The fact that it is necessary to put not only the machine but also the human being at the center of development hits us like a slap in the face. In order to increase the quality of life of the society, technological
He says that the integration of developments into society is essential, and that change must be internalized. What needs to be done is not easy at all, but it conveys to us with great awareness that it is not impossible either.
With its mission, Society 5.0 aims to change not only the industry but also the society as a whole, and to realize this change by integrating the cyber world and the physical world.
The Society 5.0 philosophy requires the implementation of the following objectives;
Developing solutions to the aging world population
Making the virtual world and the real world work together
Benefiting from the Internet of Things in the interests of society
Generating solutions for environmental pollution and natural disasters
To achieve these goals, a “Worldwide” social transformation is needed. The difficulty of the work begins in this part. In this process, some obstacles that will complicate the work
This philosophy, which is based on elimination, lists the walls in front of change as follows;
The walls of the legal system.
Scientific gap walls in the digitization of objects.
Walls of lack of human resources.
The walls of the socio-political approach.
Social acceptance walls.
For Society 5.0 to move forward, these walls need to be broken down. Within the framework of this plan, Japan aims that this transformation will be for the benefit of humanity. It is envisaged that Society 5.0 will provide a balance between economic progress and social problems.
This philosophy boldly gathers all the stakeholders that we influence and are affected by, including not only a sector, but also citizens, government and academia. And it is based on the change of the individual first.
My prediction is that countries that adapt to this philosophy will start to talk about the concept of "Global citizenship".
The implementation of Society 5.0, which is still a plan, will be in line with the pace of change. It will be long for man but very short for world history. I hope that it will be faster for us to understand, internalize and decide on cooperation in this process, and we can also be included in the process before other societies live this philosophy and discover a new one.
We become those who live by understanding its importance.
ARZU GÖZEL