英语翻译
theparkwasfilledwithpeopletalkingontheircellphones.theywerepassingotherpeoplewithoutlookingatthem,sayinghello,noticingtheirbabiesorstoppingtopettheirpuppies.evidently,theuntetheredelectronicvoiceispreferabletohumancontact
thetelephoneusedtoconnectyoutotheabsent.nowitmakespeoplesittingnexttoyoufeelabsent.recentlyiwasinacarwiththreefriends.thedriverhushedtherestofusbecausehecouldnothearthepersonontheotherendofhiscellphone.therewewere,fourfriendszoomingdownthehighway,unabletotalktooneanotherbecauseofagadgetdesignedtomakecommunicationeasier.
whyisitthatthemoreconnectedweget,themoredisconnectedifeel?everyadvanceincommunicationstechnologyisasetbacktotheintimacyofhumaninteraction.withemailandinstantmessagingovertheinternet,wecanconductentireconversationswithouteverreachinganyone.ifmymomhasaquestion,ijustleavetheansweronhermachine.
asalmosteveryconceivablecontactbetweenhumanbeingsgetsautomated,thealienationindexgoesup.youcan'tevencallapersontogetthephonenumberofanotherpersonanymore.directoryassistanceisalmostalwaysfullyautomated.
pumpinggasatthestationwhysaygoodmorningtotheattendantwhenyoucanswipeyourcreditcardatthepumpandsaveyourselfthebotherofhumancontact
makingadepositatthebankwhytalktoaclerkwhomightliveintheneighborhoodwhenyoucanjustinsertyourcardintotheATM
prettysoonyouwon'thavetheburdenofmakingeyecontactatthegrocerystore.somesupermaeketchainsareusingaself-scannersoyoucancheckyouselfout,avoidingthoseannoyingclerkswholookatyouandaskhowyouaredoing.
iamnoluddite.iowmacellphone,anATMcard,avoice-mailsystem,anemailaccount.givingthemupisn'tanoption--theyaregreatforwhatareintendedtodo.it'stheirunintendedconsequencesthatmakemecringe.