The human(less) condition
Are advancements in technology primary aimed at improving the human condition — or eliminating human interaction?
David Byrne lays out an interesting argument that it’s the latter.
Here are just a few formerly human interactions that are now mostly replaced or on their way out:
- Buying books — replaced by Amazon.com
- Banking with a teller — replaced by ATMs
- Grocery checkouts — replaced by self checkout or ordering online
- Customer service phone calls — routinely handled by automated phone trees and responsive bots
- Board games — replaced by video game consoles, online video games and smartphone apps
Byrne’s got a much longer list than this, which you can read here, along with his analysis of the situation.
As for my own brief list above: I’m not missing my interactions with bank tellers; I alternate between buying books online or in person (at comics shops and book stores); I hate the automated telephone situation more than I can express; I still play board games with family (and card games), and also play on an xBox; and I make a point of having humans check out my groceries because it’s quicker than me at the self checkout and because I get to brag about how much I saved through coupons and also because I’m trying to help humans somewhere stay employed.
Because, unlike machinery, humans need to eat.
May 16th, 2017 at 12:46 am
Perhaps it all goes back to when we started sitting quietly in a darkened room, watching other people interact up on a stage instead of interacting ourselves.