I have been known to complain bitterly about computers and the internet, even as I use them every day. But it occurs to me in the present situation that I may have been wrong, that computers are leading us towards a new, safer and more survivable world. The very essence of the internet is separation – physical separation. It puts distance between one human being and another. You can chat to your friends and family, perhaps for years, without ever having to see them. You can remotely watch your children sleeping in their beds or your aged parents sleeping in their nursing home. Automated checkouts are everywhere so you don’t have to speak to fellow human, or you can order your food and just about everything else online, so you don’t have to go out at all. At the bank your friendly tellers are being replaced by machines that look like cheap props left over from a Star Wars movie. Soon the Uber that comes to your door will have nobody in the driving seat, and remote diagnosis is gaining