More Technology for Less

Ok, after watching this and next to laughing my ass off, it made me thinking again as well. And when certain things make me thinking … well, you guys are stuck with it. Sorry guys, really appreciate it.
If you don’t know the official commercial by Apple for Siri, watch that one first (click here), since this clip is a damn funny parody not only on the commercial itself but on the entire costumer experience and focus of this new iPhone software everybody is talking about.

EDIT: They removed the video from Youtube.
Watch the video here: siri-argument

It’s a paradox, isn’t it? A new revolutionary software system for one of the most popular communication platforms today, that actually makes us communicating with each other less. As this clip shows, Siri is not only a provider of content and useful, practical information; it is also the middleman in a conversation. Actually, I feel it is a step further away from communicating. Communicating as in the ‘original’ way, remember? Between people, using your verbal or non-verbal human communication skills to interact with one another.

I once wrote here before by quoting Dutch stand-up comedian and actor Theo Maassen who pointed out the idea if it would be possible that because of these new technologies, people would lose their ability to communicate? Same as we saw people losing their ability to calculate since the introduction of the (automatic) calculator. Back then I wrote I was afraid for this but I didn’t think it was happening already. Well, I think today it made me realize we are getting a little bit closer to that conclusion (note that post was written not even a year and a half ago).

I also notice it here at the office. We send each other internal emails (addressed to people less than 50 meters away from you) daily. This is of course for many varied reasons. Emails can have attachments to save; all people in the feed and on the project need to be informed for new updates; we don’t have that much time on our hands (welcome to China?); we want to ‘keep’ the conversation for later review, … etc. But it still feels odd I think.

Perhaps we have become lazier? Or perhaps we do are losing bit my bit that essential capacity to walk over to somebody to ask a certain specific question? Or perhaps there’s absolutely nothing going on and I should go back serving drinks to the people who do know how to handle the world? But I believe there is something going on, whether it’s good or bad, whether it’s an opportunity or a treat … I don’t know, yet.