Dangerous trends in today's technology

a reply to: miri2019

In a similar vein: bought a new small aquarium, and a light fixture for it.
The light has no switches on it, but will turn on and off with plugging-in, or removing the power.

But on the box: it was advertised as having multiple awesome LED settings.
Turns-out that the control mechanism, is a software app, that you need to have on your phone.
The only way to get it on my phone, was to get it through Blackberry Link, or World, or whatever.

Had managed to have Blackberries for over 6 years, without 'all of that', signing up to their app store and such.
Finally decided to take the plunge, you know, to have some cool lights...

Jumped-through endless hoops, to finally appear to have all of the Blackberry installations done, then: the bloody application wouldn't download, for whatever reason.
Tried so many times, got frustrated, and quit.

But the 'benefits', were far beyond that:
Started receiving all kinds of new junk mail, offers, and total crap like all of those 'v-i-a-g-r-a' adds.
Anyways: just another personal confirmation that they want all your info, so that they can sell it for a profit.
We can't even get simple stuff to work, without being under their thumb.

As to your added point:
Fantasize about getting-away, but it's not an easy undertaking at all.
Made a thread about it a couple of years ago:
ATS: Shall we start a new community out in the forest?

originally posted by: lostbook
a reply to: miri2019

It seems to me that Western society is switching over from Analogue to Digital. You think things are weird now? Just wait till we start human computer interfaces.

Well Man , I am Never Giving Up my BANG And OLUFSEN Turntable for No Man , Analog Lives !

a reply to: miri2019

Hey miri2019,

3) I did not even think about computer programs and you are very right, it makes us dependable. Just like apple phones for example, they try to lock you up in their world. What I found to be good is how music is available now. Back then I had to buy a single or a music album, a sampler and overlook that half the songs I buy I never will hear. Today I can buy single songs or subscribe to a music streamer.

4) As I wrote, I like to read paper books, the smell, turning the page, progressing through the book. They work without power. It would be a shame if a real book becomes a rarity one day:
"I heard Johny has a paper book"
"You mean one of the new kindle 4000s"
"No, it is a stack of paper where a machine printed the single letters with ink onto it"
"Crazy times back then!"


6) Hahaha, I still only have 2G in my town . I do have glass-fiber connection to the internet but the mobile network here in my region is crap. Internet is stable but not guaranteed to work all the time. So many old folks still do not even have a computer here, it is just not their world. Some do not even have mobile phones, because they say "I can walk to my landline if I want to call someone". But it will change in future and then the digital currency will be pushed through.

Some banks now want a fee from you if you want to retrieve your money. You do not get 5€ bills often, 10€ bill is the smallest one you can get at cash vending machines, if you do not know the trick with the two buttons that unlocks the 5€ bill. You can still get 5€ bills at the bank cashier.

Interesting thread and a good conversation

a reply to: sine.nomine

The biggest thing that bugs me though is the lack of human interaction anymore. That's why I don't do any social media. People are too disconnected these days. It makes me sad

Yep or when people do go out to interact in social settings they can’t keep off their phones or tablets.

I used to love tech and the internet now I’m thinking of binning it all as just about anything seems more productive and a better way to spend my time than social media and the internet 2.0

I work in the book industry and trust me, paper handwritten books are not going anywhere anytime soon. There was a period when digital media was taking over, but as time has gone on, people have wanted an actual physical copy of something.

There is no doubt that it's not what it used to be. I wrote 2 novels thanks to Amazons self publishing program though and got them released as paper back books, so it can work both ways. There is however an inner war going on between paper media and digital media. with both price and quality at the forefront.

Who doesn't love to read a decent paper book under the stars?

Delete double post

a reply to: miri2019

The world spins miri2019, technology with it.

As to control and sensors everywhere, such is the price of the smart world "They" endeavor to create.

There is no true anonymity, has not been for quite some time.

Simple: Technology will be the death of mankind.

I've often written about this...and I work in the sector too!

Stop it now, or be ruled by it. The choice is simple.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

What if the technology or rule by such affords humanity a better Zoo than "they" provide?

It might be the great equalizer.

The benefits of technology and science far outweigh the alternative.

Think how far we have come in only the last few 100 years alone?

a reply to: andy06shake

Actually, think how far we haven't come in the past 50 years!

Fifty years ago we landed on the Moon. What major technological breakthrough for mankind have we gotten since then????

The cell phone. That's it!

No major disease has been cured since then. The average human lifespan is roughly the same. Taxes are more. Work is still hard. Everything costs more. And now, most people can't even make it for 5 minutes without needing to touch some piece of technology. All technology does is make people addicted to it. That, and become more lazy.

ETA - And please...tell me a 1969 Camaro (with a 4 on the floor and a 350 V-8) isn't better than a plastic 2019 Camaro!

And I could go on.

We got anti-lock brakes which don't stop you faster

We got Ethanol fuel which is far less efficient

We got Lawn Darts taken away (and a whole lot of other things which were deemed "too dangerous")

We got a bigger bag, but less potato chips inside

We got plastic bags with labels "Do not place over head - Injury or death may occur"

We got clothes with labels which say "Do not iron garment while wearing"

We got gas cans which you can't get gas into, and definitely can't get gas out of

We got lighters which don't light

We got protective guards on everything

We got instructions with more warnings than instructions

We got calculators so everyone could forget how to do math

We got PC's so everyone could forget how to write and spell

We GPS so everyone could forget how to read a map or navigate without one

We got the Internet so everyone could forget how to be even remotely intelligent

We got social media so nobody ever had to go meet their next door neighbor

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
220 BCE, first written account of steam engines.

18th century, almost two thousand years (!) later, steam engine finally kicks off.

What if religion would not have devastated science throughout history? Where would we be now?

a reply to: Oleandra88

I just want my Jarts back, dammit!

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: miri2019

The world spins miri2019, technology with it.

As to control and sensors everywhere, such is the price of the smart world "They" endeavor to create.

[...]

Andy, don't you think that's a defeatist attitude?! Even though our options are limited at this point, we shouldn't capitulate just like this. The Almighty won't leave us without any option, so hang in there.

And let's not forget that "They" are humans too, "they" have no idea where they have got themselves into, "they" have not seen yet the terrible anger of God. If "they" want to go to that unknown one-way road, (and sadly they have decided to) I'm not gonna let myself and others that I can, to follow them in that route. Too bad that things had to come to this point of no return and beyond, I'm sad for this whole thing and for the sleepy masses that have no idea what's going on. We are all humans coming from the same God, just sad!!

Thanks for your thoughts.

originally posted by: Oleandra88
a reply to: miri2019
[...] Saw that in "black mirror" happening and looking at the politic climate [...]

Ahh "the black mirror" Oleandra, ... the weak voice inside of me tells me that these people have some very very bad things in their minds. Watch out for their spiked "sweet" drinks, you could lose your soul in them!

originally posted by: BrianFlanders
A hammer will turn just about anything off to my satisfaction. I like to say if I can't fix it with a hammer, I can't fix it.

I wish things were that simple Brian, if I correctly understood you.

Thank you.

originally posted by: rhynouk
I work in the book industry and trust me, paper handwritten books are not going anywhere anytime soon. There was a period when digital media was taking over, but as time has gone on, people have wanted an actual physical copy of something.

There is no doubt that it's not what it used to be. I wrote 2 novels thanks to Amazons self publishing program though and got them released as paper back books, so it can work both ways. There is however an inner war going on between paper media and digital media. with both price and quality at the forefront.

Who doesn't love to read a decent paper book under the stars?

I can read forums like this longer than I need to but I'm not going to read a 500 page book on PC. I've tried several times.
Its not impossible if the subject was interesting and there was a great need for the info but that hasn't happened yet.

originally posted by: HalWesten
I'm sure most of us could live without technology, although some things would obviously be much more difficult. There were no personal computers when I was growing up so if they all died tomorrow I could still life happily without them. I refuse to tie myself to a digital device because I believe when one does, they lose their connection with humanity. They don't know how to react to a face-to-face conversation, they don't know how to handle sudden changes in life events, and so on. Very few know how to enjoy peace and quiet,...

[.. cut for brevity ..]

There are days I'd like to unplug everything.

Well said Hal, thanks for the input!

The young today seem to be unprepared for the waves that life might bring to them due to this life style, how strong is their instinct to survive when life becomes rough(?!) My friend's little kids play non-stop with their e-devices and I keep telling him to have them build something with their hands, or at least start programming (code writing) in their devices, not just playing video games and they are very good kids.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
And I could go on.

We got anti-lock brakes which don't stop you faster

[.. Cut for brevity ..]

We got calculators so everyone could forget how to do math

We got PC's so everyone could forget how to write and spell

We GPS so everyone could forget how to read a map or navigate without one

We got the Internet so everyone could forget how to be even remotely intelligent

We got social media so nobody ever had to go meet their next door neighbor

Precisely !!

Thank you Flyingclaydisk!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Problem is we require a paradigm shift the likes of which we have yet to witness to bring our race together thus address the real problems and larger issues we face.

The coming singularity may facilitate the paradigm kick in the arse we need.

Or not and we will stagnate and die.

I know one thing we can only go forward, not back, its just the path that we are traveling.