We want the technology in our devices to enable a social

Reggie Fils-Aime, a herald of play and innovation in the modern age, once proclaimed: “We want the technology in our devices to enable a social experience.” These words, though spoken in the halls of gaming, echo with ancient truth: that the highest purpose of invention is not isolation but connection, not withdrawal into self, but communion with others. For tools, however advanced, are empty if they do not bind hearts and strengthen the bonds of community.

At the heart of his wisdom lies the sacred truth of technology as servant, not master. A device may hold within it circuits and code, yet its worth is not measured by its power alone, but by how it enriches human fellowship. When Fils-Aime speaks of a social experience, he summons us to remember that all human joy is multiplied in the presence of others: laughter shared in play, victory celebrated in unison, even defeat softened by camaraderie. In this way, the glowing screen becomes not a wall that divides, but a bridge that unites.

This principle has been written into history. Consider the fires of the ancients, around which our forebears gathered at day’s end. The flame was not merely for warmth or light—it was the center of social experience, where stories were told, songs were sung, and wisdom passed from elder to child. In the same way, modern devices, when used wisely, can be today’s fire, drawing people together across distance and difference. But when misused, they become cold embers, keeping each isolated in their own small circle.

A fitting example lies in the rise of Nintendo’s Wii, the device that under Reggie’s guidance brought families, friends, and even strangers into living rooms to play together. It was not the most powerful machine, nor the most technically advanced, but it was designed for connection. Grandparents bowled beside grandchildren; friends laughed together as they swung their arms in tennis. The technology mattered only because it enabled the social experience—and in that laughter, the true power of invention was revealed.

Yet history also warns us of the dangers of forgetting this truth. The Industrial Revolution brought marvels of machinery, but it also tore families apart, sending children into mines and fathers into factories. Technology advanced, but society suffered because fellowship was neglected. It is a reminder that devices without a human-centered purpose can enslave rather than free, divide rather than unite. Fils-Aime’s words are a call to avoid this error in the age of digital invention: to ensure that every new tool strengthens community rather than dissolves it.

Thus the lesson for all who hear is clear: do not use your devices only for solitude, nor let technology become a chain that binds you to loneliness. Instead, use it as a means of fellowship—call your friends, play with your family, learn with your peers, share your burdens with strangers who may yet become companions. For the true measure of any invention is not the glow of its screen or the speed of its processor, but the warmth of the hearts it brings together.

Therefore, O seekers of wisdom, let Reggie’s words be a guide for this age of endless invention: embrace technology not as a substitute for the social bond, but as its servant. Seek always the social experience, for in shared laughter, shared struggle, and shared triumph lies the essence of human joy. Remember: the devices will fade, but the bonds of fellowship endure, and it is in those bonds that the true magic of any age is found.