Infantalization, part 4

The Star reports today on an iphone app developed by the LCBO. It lets you send a pre-recorded message to a friend to warn them about the perils of drinking and driving.

Sez the LCBO marketing boffin:

Customer research suggests the toughest thing for many hosts is approaching guests on the issue of drinking and driving, hence the arm’s length approach to an issue that is often the elephant in room.

Well, okay, but why is no one talking about the other elephant in the room, the fact that more and more of our social interactions are being mediated through technology, taking away our ability or desire to actually communicate directly with others? High tech meets passive aggressiveness, and to no one's surprise, it's like they were meant for each other.

I give full marks to the LCBO for attempting an education campaign, but few marks to the end result, and even fewer marks to the final users who are happy to abdicate responsibility by pressing a button on a screen. It will be interesting to see how use of this app might be used as a legal defense "I sent the drunk guy who drove, crashed, and crippled himself a message in someone else's voice telling him how concerned I was about him driving that night, what else could I have done?" "My client pushed the send button, Your Honour; we have the data records to prove it."

A Glympse (into the abyss)

Hey, you! Yes, You. I want you to know where I am and let you track my movements on a website in real-time. What's that? You don't give a flying Foursquare? Well, tell that to the programmers of Glympse.

It's a new app that lets Self-Important You broadcast your location to your co-workers, family, or friends so they can then watch your movements on their PCs or smart phones.

My question, as with all these types of things, is "Why?!" I cannot envision any circumstance under which this would be useful. If you're going to be ten minutes late, just be ten minutes late; I don't want track you like I'm running fucking NORAD. I don't know how you work, but if someone I'm meeting with hasn't shown up by the time agreed on, I'm looking over my to-do list, responding to Email, or catching up on reading.

As the chirpy video guide shown above says, "My family likes to watch me as I head home." Listen, Chirpy, If your family has nothing better to do than watch a blip that represents you move towards their location, you might want to get them part-time jobs, or hobbies, or buy them books or something.

Orwell was wrong: we weren't forced into living in a surveillance society, we welcomed it. Big Brother is Watching Us, through channels we've put in place and happily pay for. Congratulations! You're the Mayor of Airstrip One.

Useless tech

Can someone explain what's up with people wanting to add technology to a problem that's (a) non existent or (b) been solved artfully and simply decades ago?

Take this for example: It's SEIL, pictured above, a backpack for cyclists with light-up turn and stop indicators.

We need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists. The sensational concept by designer Lee Myung Su gives cyclists an ability to indicate which way they would be turning while cycling on busy streets ruled by thoroughly callous four wheelers. Safe Enjoy Interact Light (SEIL) comprises of two components: a backpack equipped with LEDs and a detachable wireless controller that can be mounted on the handlebar. The rider simply touches the controller to indicate the desired direction, left or right or simply stopping, which simultaneously gets flashed on the backpack.

- From the Design Blog website.

Despite the site's demanding, "we need SEIL right away, right now for all the cyclists", I would argue that we do not. Why do we need lights, batteries, and other consumables to replace three or four simple hand/arm gestures? This goes against the reasons many of us cycle: to harness human power and to interact simply with the world.

Add this useless technology to a growing list: the kettle that beeps when it boils even though steam can power a whistle or the toaster that beeps before your toast pops up.

What happens when we add layer after useless layer of tech on top of simple human activities? Why does everything need an array of LEDs or an electronic beep or a built-in GPS? What sort of mindset develops when these become commonplace?

Okay, okay, I'll


now.

P.S. "Safe Enjoy Interact Light"?!