Both are necessary to do some work.
by Chris Demas
Photo from photoXpress
When it comes right down to it, part of the reason we invent new devices is to avoid having to do extra work. The phone is a tool used to connect two people together without having to make them travel to one another. If they need to travel we have the car that can move them long distances without making them walk or exert themselves. Are we making ourselves obsolete? Is that notion a bad thing?
After all, we created machines to help us with everyday tasks. And while sometimes this knocks a person out of a job it makes the people using the machine quite happy. Let’s look at the automatic teller machine or atm. It’s convenient and in many cases harder to rob. The atm is also capable of taking care of strings of people with their financial needs and doesn’t get tired. Also, while you may no have a personal emotional experience with it, the machine will give you the same service it gave the last person.
On the other hand, machines make awful mistakes sometimes that a human could probably fix on the spot. Machines can’t give you that interaction that a friendly employee can. And having to deal with a machine when it comes to returns is the worst kind of hassle. Obviously machines aren’t perfect and can malfunction at the strangest times. But do occasional glitches matter when the machine for the most part is handling your light work?
I love human interaction and I’m sure you do too. There is a pleasant feeling when you go to the mall and can be directed around by the help desk and don’t have to memorize a map. It feels good in those rare times when you return a product and the staff is friendly with you while offering good service. It can be incredibly satisfying to hear “have a nice day” after purchasing!
Does human interaction outweigh the idea of mechanical convenience? Do I go to the cashier or the self-checkout? Will the people inside Bank of America be jealous that I gave their atm machine more attention than the human employees inside the bank? What do you think? Are we ourselves becoming more obsolete or do we just use machines for our light work?
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Moment Matters 
It isn’t either/or. Machines are tools used by people–even the ones that operate with no people around them. It isn’t a choice between doing business with a person or doing business with an ATM. Your business is with the bank, a business owned and operated by human beings. Using an ATM as a tool to do business is no different than using a pen to write a deposit slip rather than explaining the procedure to a teller. Rather than replacing a human being, an ATM is a tool that allows human beings to handle more transactions more efficiently. In the end, your deposit or withdrawal is still processed by an employee of the bank.
Some machines I hate, for instance the automated recordings I receive when I need to place a phone call. Listening to the menu is frustrating especially when having to go through many options and can’t find a way to talk to a real person. As for the ATM, I worked in a bank, the reliance on the ATM helped to eliminate quite a few jobs and even entire branches.
I personally like human interaction when I am doing business. I like to see the person I just made a deposit with, if there is a problem later I know exactly who waited on me, and they know who I am.
There are machines I would rather not live without. I don’t want to do all my laundry by hand and a wash board like my grandmothers did. I like my computer, I even like my phone. But there are plenty of other machines I don’t use. I don’t use the self-check if I have a choice because I don’t want to be responsible for someone losing their job.
We each will have a machine we feel we couldn’t live without, that’s fine, but let’s not eliminate the human contact either.
Hmm, I gave this some thought and while for the most part I am fine with the role machines play in our lives (I am using one right now even be able to read and comment on this blog) Yet. As human beings I feel as though we have become over-dependent on machines that we could do ourselves even if it isn’t the quickest way to do it. it has also encouraged a culture that is constantly in a hurry and i doubt very much that that is a truly healthy development from a mental health perspective.
Machines and computers and robots can never substitute humans, they have no emotions, and humans cannot live without love…..robots can’t give. We will enjoy easing our chores with machines but they never give you cuddles , hugs, and human interactions are most important to us! Wherever we are, supermarket etc it is nice to talk and smile to humans, can’t do theat on the self checkout. 🙂 Great post to think about.
It’s not even machines. For any invention, the idea is “what can make us be better at laziness?” well in my opinion anyway. Don’t blame McDonalds on obesity, blame the inventions that is making it a reality. School no longer has the necessity to get up and go with online classes. The list goes on and on. This reminds me of I, Robot. Will Smith says “I have an idea for one of your commericals. First you have a carpenter building a building a beautiful chair, and then one of your robots comes in and builds a better chair, twice as fast. On the screen it can say USR, S#*ttin’ on the little guy”
The problem with machines is they don’t know when they are beaten. They don’t reach a point in programming that says, OK I give in I’ll get you some help, dial an operator or help line and create a link to someone who has free will. Because, despite random programming and the evolution of all sorts of technologies at the end of the day, it is a machine and has a limited set of choices and parameters to work with.
So they will never replace human choice and decision making because it is humans that create the appearance of choice within the machine and set the limits of those choices.
Jim
Ah well, there you have it? Though having worked in retail, for Mal-Wart. Also, worked as a Locomotive Engineer in Canada. I can easily say that companies, in general, love machines. The fewer the employees, more profit. Does it seep back to the consumer? Not if you don’t care about human inter-action, I suppose?
Thing is, it needs customers, to work. Customers with money from wages. More in society? Means a better standard of living, from working-class on up.
What we have now is a world of economic slaves. Those making a living, as customers. Better watch out? As the creeping tide of machinery, over-takes them, too.