Concerns persist that robots are usurping our jobs, yet a significant issue lies in their encroachment on our decision-making abilities. In the extensive warehouses that support today's economy, human workers, known as ‘pickers,' rush about selecting items from shelves to prepare them for packing and shipping. They wear headsets that connect them to a software interface named ‘Jennifer,' which directs their every move and task, breaking down instructions into manageable segments to reduce mistakes and enhance efficiency. For instance, instead of directing a worker to retrieve eighteen copies of a book at once, Jennifer instructs them to take five, followed by another five, then another five, and finally three. This working environment effectively transforms individuals into flesh-and-blood machines, as the presence of Jennifer discourages independent thought or adaptation. Instead, it governs the cognitive processes of workers, relegating them to mere functions that provide visual processing and possess opposable thumbs, rather than utilizing their full potential.

Frans de Waal, a renowned primatologist from Emory University, argues that humans often minimize the similarities between ourselves and other animals to uphold our perceived superiority. He notes that scientists can be particularly guilty of this, utilizing complex terminology to create a sense of distance from other species. For instance, they refer to "kissing" in chimpanzees as "mouth-to-mouth contact" and label friendships among primates as "favorite affiliation partners." They also interpret tool-making abilities in crows and chimps as fundamentally different from human tool use. When animals excel in cognitive tasks, like certain birds remembering the locations of numerous seeds, scientists dismiss this as mere instinct rather than intelligence. De Waal describes this phenomenon as "linguistic castration," highlighting how our language can undermine the status of animals. This manipulation of words serves to reinforce our dominant position in the perceived hierarchy of species and illustrates how we use language to disempower other creatures.

Developmental scientists generally agree that individuals actively shape their own development. While they are affected by their physical and social environments, they also influence these contexts through their interactions. For example, an infant who smiles at adults around him affects his surroundings, as those adults are likely to respond with smiles, playful language, and engagement. This interaction fosters close relationships and learning opportunities. By exploring their environment, thinking critically, being curious, and interacting with people and objects, individuals of all ages contribute to their own growth and development. This perspective emphasizes the role of personal agency in development, highlighting that individuals are not just passive recipients of influence but active participants in their own life journeys.

Engaging students and enhancing their achievement hinges on providing them with texts that resonate with their interests. My academic research and teaching practices have been significantly shaped by the insights of Rosalie Fink. She conducted interviews with twelve highly accomplished individuals, including a physicist, a biochemist, and a CEO, all of whom experienced dyslexia and faced considerable reading difficulties during their educational journeys. Contrary to her expectations of finding them evading reading and relying on alternative learning strategies, she discovered that these individuals were, in fact, avid readers. "To my surprise, I found that these dyslexics were enthusiastic readers... they rarely avoided reading. On the contrary, they sought out books." Fink identified a common theme among her subjects: each possessed a deep passion for specific personal interests, such as religion, math, business, science, history, and biography. What proved crucial was their fervent desire to read extensively to delve deeper into their areas of fascination.