By Srianee (Bunter) Fernando Dias
Recently, my washing machine, which was
just over the warranty period, decided to call it quits. It turned out that the electronic controls
were defective and replacing them would have cost close to the price of a new
machine. So I decided to purchase a new
washing machine, lamenting the fact that things are far more complicated than
they need to be. My previous washing
machine had lasted about 20 years and was still working when I sold my home. That machine had no electronic controls, but
a simple knob which had to be turned to set the cycle. Why do washing machines have to have fancy,
complicated electronics?
Many of us use e-mail, WhatsApp,
Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, and video-chatting apps, and those of you
who are reading this are communicating with friends on the Blog. It is wonderful to be able to communicate
this way, but I am convinced that we need to be judicious in our use of
technology. If one spends all day
sitting at the computer, or staring into the phone, when does one make time to
take a walk and breathe some fresh air?
Think about all those aging muscles which need to be moved and strengthened
frequently. Sit around all day and your
muscles will turn to Jell-O!
We all know of young people who get
hooked on video games and play without paying attention to food and drink. I believe that deaths have been reported in
South Korea.
It is definitely a generational thing
that we in our eighth decade are intimidated by these fast-developing
technologies, whereas toddlers are instinctively able to use the touch screen
of their parents’ iPad and watch their favorite movie or TV show. It is very easy to keep a small child
mesmerized and occupied with an electronic device, as opposed to other optionsthat
require more effort on the part of the parents.
A few days ago when I was out with my
family, I was delighted when I saw my 5- and 6-year-old grandnieces playing a
version of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” instead of burying their heads in a
smartphone. They were having so much fun
giggling over this version which was called “Lady, Hunter, Lion!” A few months earlier, I had attended a
celebration of a friend’s birthday, during which her grandsons barely said
hello to the guests and instead spent all their time with their noses close to
their smartphones.
My daughter has imposed a “no-device
policy” every weekend in her home. The
whole family (including the parents!) sets aside their computers and other
devices for six hours every Saturday and Sunday. If there is homework to be done on the computer,
the kids are required to do it in the living room or dining room where the
parents can keep an eye on the screen.
I’m happy that some effort is being made in my family to control the use
of these addictive devices.
I may be one of the minority who is not
enamored with GPS guidance while driving.
I’d rather check my route ahead of time (yes, I do use Google Maps or
MapQuest), print the directions, and sometimes even memorize them before
setting out on my journey. I rely on
landmarks and visual clues and really dislike a phantom voice telling me when
to turn right or left. Perhaps I’ve
always disliked backseat drivers! I know
that the GPS routes are not always the shortest or the best. I have a sneaking suspicion that relying on
all this external technical assistance
with directions is leading to the atrophy of some part our brains which
keeps us oriented in time and space!
In the field of medicine, technological
advances made in the last few years have been quite phenomenal. But with reliance on technology, are we
losing some of our clinical skills? There has been much discussion on this
topic in the current medical literature.
Because certain tests are available, doctors are often compelled to
order them, even though there may be simpler clinical assessments available to
reach the same diagnosis. There are
exceptions, of course. The
interventional radiologists perform heroic procedures with minimal
invasion. In the past these procedures
may have required opening the skull, chest or abdomen, adding weeks to the
patient’s recovery time. Nowadays they
are done as outpatient procedures, by passing slender instruments through veins
or arteries.
Communication using the internet has
been a boon to many. Older individuals
who may be housebound are able to communicate with friends and family using
e-mail and text messaging. I have
observed that older folk who complain that they are lonely are the ones who
have not bothered to learn to use a computer and basic e-mailing. Those who have overcome this hurdle have
found that they are no longer isolated.
In the last few days and weeks, we have
been made aware of the hazards of using the Internet. Facebook users have been disillusioned. Those who believed that the information they
were sharing on Facebook was for their friends and family only, have now found
out that their data has been mined by other companies for nefarious
purposes. Elections have been
manipulated, conspiracy theories have spread far and wide, and the list keeps
growing. It is imperative that we be
extracautious when using the latest technological developments. It is a bit like driving a powerful sports
car downhill on a steep, mountainous road with numerous hairpin bends. One has to know how to shift those gears. Unless you are James Bond, you may crash and
burn.
Srianee
ReplyDeleteThank you for that thought provoking, well written and well thought out piece. Technology is indeed a gift and a curse. I have always been fascinated by technology and recall being a proud owner of a cassette recorder in old Ceylon. Then came my professional life as a radiologist living with technology. I fondly recall writing programs and having my own website riding the ether. As technology moved on the darker side of human nature created the dark web with disastrous consequences. Although there is much goodness in technology it has become increasingly difficult to police and keep it on the straight and narrow. It is worrying to note there is a certain reticence to bridle technology. Governments shy away from making rules to keep technology clean. We have a duty to protect the young and the vulnerable. It worries me still the internet remains a lawless free for all.
Our own Blog is a fine example of its benefits
ND, Thank you for starting the discussion. As you say we have a duty to protect the young and vulnerable. More than governments, the companies that make money designing these forums, where users post hateful, disgusting comments, should monitor their content. The argument, of course, is that then we are curbing Free Speech. I say that "Your freedom stops at the line where mine begins!" I read an article in the New Yorker recently about Reddit which has a whole department assigned to monitoring content. They ban certain posts when they cross the line. More of that needs to happen. You may be aware that in Sri Lanka, a few weeks ago, the Government shut down social media as a precautionary measure when there was anti- Muslim activities in Kandy. That would not have happened in USA.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that forums such as our Blog are some of the benefits of the Internet.
Despite the good we see around we live in a selfish world. It is money that counts. The companies are less concerned of the impact their businesses have on real life. The threat is real and even democracy is threatened. I doubt self regulation will work in this murky world. Let us see how the important current issues are tackled. I am glad you've brought this up to give it a jolly good airing.
ReplyDeleteSrianee, that’s what I call a very balanced view of New Technology. You appreciate the conveniences and advances it brings to us but are warning us of its many ills which can be quite damaging. This article is timely as many of us have children and grandchildren who are exposed to this new face of the 21st Century. The answer is of course what you have already done, e.g. have tech free weekends, zones, etc. And if this is done, on balance I think Tekky is more a friend and a foe, saver than a destroyer, I can go on--. Thanks for a really thought provoking and valuable contribution. Zita
ReplyDeleteSrianee a brilliant analysis followed by thoughtful comments from ND and Zita .This is a quick one from Agra.Saw The Taj from hotel top and visiting it tomorrow great crowd of people touring with me shall comment in detail on return (home on 2nd although UK 31st night) as this is a subject which interests me greatly. Quick comment is like all great human advances technology can be a great boon but has the potential for immense harm
ReplyDeleteThanks Mahen. Enjoy your trip and we will be awaiting your comments when you return. I returned to home base two days ago and I am now tackling various annoying but necessary chores.
DeleteSrianee, Thankyou .
ReplyDeleteEverything of importance has already been said!
Technology is indeed a double edged tool.
I like Asimov’s summary of the current state of affairs- “science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom”.
Getting down to the domestic scene- your experience with the washing machine has been exactly the same as mine! This also applied to my dishwasher and now, even to the TV and sound system on which I play music!
In the past I had control of all these things - to make them do exactly as I wanted with the turn of a few dials, while now I have to choose from a set number of options as dictated by the machines which are not always satisfactory,and have to device my own ways of getting what I want!
Another aspect is, that while we have been able to connect globally with ease,
interaction with those around one has become tricky, with cell phones buzzing all around you! Manners and etiquette tend to fly out the window, and ultimately it is up to us to set boundaries and preserve what was good in the past. Iam glad your family is making the effort.
Sound old fashioned? May be I am !
Thank you my friends for sharing your thoughts and experiences. As ND said this subject needs a "jolly good airing." ND, Dr. Panagamuwa (friend of Mahen and Sanath Lama) in an e-mail to me said "Greed and falsehood has taken over the world!" We have to do our best to keep ourselves and all those around us in balance. Rohini, as you have pointed out manners and etiquette has "flown out the window!" Perhaps the next time I am out having lunch or dinner with friends, I will request that they silence their phones, just as they do in a theatre. It might make everyone think about their manners, although it may not make me the most popular person in the room! Although I use many of the new advances such as paying bills on line, downloading music on line etc., I still hang on to certain "old-fashioned" things such as my collection of vinyl albums. I am so glad that I kept them thorough all my many moves. Now my sixteen year-old grandson is interested in listening to them. Perhaps all is not lost, after all.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge topic with a myriad of facets. I cannot agree with you more about not using tablets and smartphones at mealtimes and during those precious family time. We are septuagenarians living in a fast moving world and have got to embrace change when it is to our benefit. I love the internet and use the many online facilities.
ReplyDeleteCollecting data about people without expressed consent and use it to swing elections is a threat to democracy. The government has an obligation to protect the vulnerable as we all fall into that group.
We have had our day. The younger folk may feel we shouldn't slow the progress of technology which they are so good at managing. I am playing devil's advocate here when I say etiquette and good manners too may have to change with the times.
Ah bring on the vinyls and play that Tony Brent classic "The clouds will soon roll by" and "Chanson d'amour"
ND and Srianee, I have also preserved some of the old vinyls and enjoy them from time to time on a high end sound system, and they have a magic of their own.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you have said, and while I sound like I might regress to a wind up gramophone to play this beautiful chanson on HMV, I shall remember Khalil Gibran- “ For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday” !
On a dismal day this week I was called by a friend who lives nearby. he said he was dealing with a strange call supposedly from a Telecom company. When I arrived at my friend's house he has had a scam call, his laptop had been commandeered by unscrupulous people and were stealing information and money. I must confess I am no expert but have read about what must be done and did what I could. They have been at his laptop for hours. This merely shows the downside of technology and the vulnerability of us septuagenarians.
DeleteAnother quickie from Khajuraho it us a challenge and human advancement faces them constantly as we on the whole progress and each advancement has a "flip side" you have all shown how you respond to them while preserving what us good in our continuous quest
ReplyDeleteThis is Zita again. I agree with all said above. And Nihal, I agree with you about the dangers of fraudsters getting into our equipment. You only need to listen to the radio and watch TV consumer programmes to find out about the damage such interference has done. I have been a victim too which most of you will know about. But let us not throw the baby out with the bath water. Look at the good side of technology: communications, calculations, electronic contraptions, internet with all its uses well I don’t want to repeat things which you already know. It’s just that nothing good comes without a price to pay and the latter includes all the disadvantages. My answer is: keep it simple. Use only the tech you need, and what does good to you or others. And be careful just as you have to been when driving or even walking. And we can all enjoy all the wonders of Tech and keep the bad side to the absolute minimum. (I can see Techy smiling at me. Oh, have you used Siri and Alexa’s services?) Zita
ReplyDeleteGetting back to this conversation after a few days; I just wanted to inject a healthy dose of skepticism to our fascination with technology. I can see that Zita likes Siri and Alexa. Even though I am able to summon Siri on my phone, I have not done so yet. We'll see... We haven't even discussed artificial intelligence (A.I.) and virtual reality (V.R.)yet! Steven Spielberg has just released a movie on this subject (initial reports are good) called "Ready Player One." The title refers to the words that are flashed on the Atari arcade games when one drops a quarter (25 cents). It is reported to be a cautionary tale about V.R. Let's watch the movie and continue the discussion! A.I. as you know, is being incorporated quite a bit in medicine and other fields. Coincidentally, this morning's NY Times had an article about the actor who did the voice of HAL 9000, the computer in "2001: A Space Odyssey." His name is Douglas Rain and he is Canadian, now almost 90 years old. Who can forget HAL saying "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."?
ReplyDeleteI am not a great friend of Siri or Alexa, but I find my friends use it a lot. I visited a friend in London and before I left my friend pressed Alexa's button on the wall and asked for advice for me on getting out of London. She said in very clear voice: 'let her leave before the rush hour starts in an hour if she does not want to be stuck in traffic'. I just thought it is 'cool' to use the words of of our young generation. And Siri is always offering me help on my computer but I don't want to use it. As for AI we've had limited discussion on that subject on this Blog and it is about time we opened it to a wider audience. Zita
ReplyDeleteThis was certainly a thought provoking article by Srianee.
ReplyDeleteSeveral points come to mind.
Equipment becoming more complicated.
This is certainly true and I do wonder why this became so and continues to do so. My own view is that this is the result of consumerism. To keep selling goods, manufacturers have to entice customers with new features marketed as desirable although most of them do not really contribute to a better experience. In the consumer orientated market driven societies we live in, we are conditioned to “want the uwanted” and “upgrade to the latest, to keep up with the Joneses”. We have become the slaves of the economic machine that drives Capitalist Societies. At the risk of sounding sexist, women are a prime example of being “captured” by the fashion industry whose sole aim is to make money. Men are not excluded but women are easier prey.
Taking the various aspects of Technology that Srianee mentioned, I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages quite significantly. The benefits of technology for the disabled, the elderly and indeed for all human beings have made our lives safer and more enjoyable. The challenge is to rein in and control this beast with potential for good and bad and some of the measures Srianee has taken with her own family are a good example of “taming” the beast. Parents are sometimes guilty of taking the easy way out by providing technology gadgets to their children to keep them quiet and allow the parents to indulge in other activities.
The observation of Technology in Medicine is interesting and I tend to agree that basic clinical skills are being lost because the information could be obtained more easily and often more accurately by use of technology. The advances in the use of AI in Medicine with the development of highly sophisticated algorithms are frightening but they are still very much “blinkered” in that they can only solve problems within their limited domains. I remain rather old fashioned in that I regard the trained Human Brain, supplemented by AI, is still superior to computers in an overall sense. The highly clinically competent doctor is a diagnostician, an empathiser, a counsellor and a friend, and I cannot see Machines ever becoming that. I think very soon, Machines will be superior in diagnosis and possibly in treatment design but the mere mortal doctor will remain the patient’s greatest ally.
The final observation on FB and other Social media is indeed a worrying feature and these do need regulation. This is more difficult in so called “Democratic” Countries and much easier in countries like China. (I put Democratic in quotes as I have my own views on the type of Democracy practiced in these countries, but that is another story!). This is of course with reference to the whole population but when it comes to children, parents have a huge responsibility but sadly, a lot of them do not exercise it. The State has a responsibility too but these days, any State intervention is labelled as actions of a “nanny” state. Freedom appears to be something that is needed without much constraint.
On the whole, technology has improved mankind. Sanitation, water and power supply, communication devices have helped reduce poverty, disease and contributed to happiness but by the same token, a lot of harm has been caused and we will continue on this path with the need to benefit from them by vigilance and regulation. The market driven, financially driven, political systems will face the biggest challenge.
Mahen, thank you for your comprehensive comment. I agree with you that technology has contributed major improvements to our lives. I am not against using technology but am concerned about overuse and misuse. We need to proceed wisely and cautiously.
DeleteWomen may be more susceptible to marketing ploys as you say, but what about the guys who are hanging out at stores such as Best Buy (I don't know the names of the UK counterparts) waiting to buy the latest gadgets and the largest HD television sets? The bigger the better!!
It is expected that in the near future AI will be widely used in the field of medicine. Where do the physicians' critical thinking skills come in? Will they be following the computer's instructions? We'll have to see where this takes us. The surgeon and writer Atul Gawande has described an "epidemic of over-testing, over-diagnosis and over-treatment," in which the USA is ahead of other developed nations. The US spends 18 percent of its GDP on health care while Australia, Canada, Denmark and Japan spend only half that amount. In spite of all this spending, life expectancy is lower and infant mortality is higher than the other developed countries.
The current clamor over the irresponsible (at best) policies of FaceBook are extremely disturbing. We'll have to see what happens next week when Mark Zuckerberg appears before the US Congress. I hear that he is learning to be charming and humble! That was reported in the NYT this morning (Sunday).
In contrast, Tim Cook , the CEO of Apple had several interesting and useful suggestions when he was interviewed on MSNBC a few nights ago. He said that self regulation is important and that we should read the fine print of privacy policies before we sign onto anything on line. He also said that everyone should learn to code. I think he means those who are still in school! It is an interview worth watching and can be accessed on www.msnbc.com (search "Tim Cook").
Yes, the challenges are immense and one can only hope that the Human race is upto it. In the meantime, as you rightly stated right along, we have responsibilities as individuals and parents. Apart from managing our own lives, we must used these very media to increase awareness.
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