Sir Chaplin showed it best in “Modern Times”.
Jacques Ellul took a step further to analyze all things “technique”. The 70’s OPEC oil embargo triggered cost-cutting craze, starting with the elimination of gas station full-service to Smart cars and EVs.
I took a trip this past Thanksgiving. At rest area, the vending machine took my money and spit out my choice 1A6 (translation: dark coffee with cream, no sugar). With SunPass I did not have to stop and pay at the toll booth.
Of course, at rest area, the air dryer helped dry my hands. At the outlet mall, I had a massage by a chair
(only after I fed the machine my 5-dollar bill.)
I picked up something at Home Depot whose self-checkout allows me to scan my merchandise (while the cashier played loss prevention). On Halloween, they even put up a mean looking monster to stare down at home-builders.
When I got home, tired from the trip, I rented a video at Red Box. And while at it, I might as well filled my water at the machine next to the prepaid calling card and blood-pressure machines.
I could have taken some pictures in one of those kiosks. But I saved money by using my digital camera, and print out Thanksgiving pictures ( no longer a trip to the Kodak store).
Pretty soon, they will have machine that can give you a flu shot. I already got my stamps from the post office machine.
Coffee, gas, photo, DVD , pre-paid calling card, stamps, water, highway toll, photo , car wash, water, air pump, laundry, kitchen appliances, I-pod, shaving kit. Car alarm (You stand too close to the vehicle, step back), GPS, remote control, alarm clock, unmanned aircraft, Stair Master, and IRobot to clean your house. I am too tired to clean house, so I drop my clothes in the wash, pop in the DVD, and set my alarm. That was after I managed to check my email on the computer and warm my food in the microwave.
No wonder we don’t need people. Where have they all gone, long time passing? No wonder in Buffalo, NY, the last of the station attendants startled me when he asked if I needed to fill up. I thought that was a panhandler trying to hustle me.
The Machine Age is here. And someday, machine will make more advanced machines as they interact and evolve. Did I mention the ATM’s? My bank closes at 4PM, sending me to the machine today. I can hardly get face-time with any teller. Cherish the chat, “organic relationship” (this makes off-shored call centers heavens on Earth: “I understand what you mean” really?) . When we have a face-to-face with someone, we can read non-verbal cues: facial expression, body language. Tommy was left playing the pinball machine, and he moaned “See me, feel me, touch me, heal me”. Machine will stay behind in Goodwill long after we are gone. It’s those human who are close to us (and even not so close ) that matter. Family, and larger human family (social networking?), united against the machine – Trust not that which doesn’t brush its teeth, gives you poor service, yet takes your money. Try to get a refund by kicking it.
In Michael Moore’s words, “downsizing this!”.
P.S. I kept forgetting to click the ABC icon for the machine to spell check. Can’t live with or without “it” any longer.
Thang Nguyen 555 