4 ms·

I think hacker news suffers from being too close to tech to really get a normal person's perspective. These advances are technologically marvelous, sure, but th

I think hacker news suffers from being too close to tech to really get a normal person's perspective. These advances are technologically marvelous, sure, but they are ethically bankrupt. At best, they make human interaction worse, and at worst, they enable robocallers and standardize thought. Tech optimism has become toxic because SV fails to realize how each cool new feature can be bastardized and abused.

nightski 8y ago
Not only are they ethically bankrupt, it feels like the sole goal is to eliminate all human interaction and more importantly solve problems that do not exist. Ex. I do not mind making a 60 second phone call to make a reservation vs. 30 seconds of figuring out how to tell Google what to do. In this case Google is solving problems for rich socially awkward nerds. Not the majority of people.
- fesoliveira 8y ago
  I completely disagree with your line of thought. Automation is something that do make lives easier, and just because your personal experience tells you something, it doesn't mean that it will be the same for everyone. Like many others stated before, this is marvelous for the social awkward and the deficient, while also bringing a personal assistant for people with tight schedules or unable to make such calls for various reasons. Also, keep in mind that this kind of feature will most likely be present in your average Android smartphone, so basically everyone with access to one will be able to use it.
- dyoo1979 8y ago
  How many of you have immigrant parents who, where English is a second language, would have great difficulty performing the kind of verbal gymnastics that you take for granted?
  - Invictus0 8y ago
    My mother is an immigrant and speaks 4 languages, and I am learning my third. This is a ridiculous argument; if this is so important to you, advocate for Google translate integration into email.
daveFNbuck 8y ago
You really can't think of a better possible outcome of technology that enables humans and computers to interact in a way that's more natural for the humans?

nightski 8y ago

Not only are they ethically bankrupt, it feels like the sole goal is to eliminate all human interaction and more importantly solve problems that do not exist. Ex. I do not mind making a 60 second phone call to make a reservation vs. 30 seconds of figuring out how to tell Google what to do. In this case Google is solving problems for rich socially awkward nerds. Not the majority of people.

fesoliveira 8y ago
I completely disagree with your line of thought. Automation is something that do make lives easier, and just because your personal experience tells you something, it doesn't mean that it will be the same for everyone. Like many others stated before, this is marvelous for the social awkward and the deficient, while also bringing a personal assistant for people with tight schedules or unable to make such calls for various reasons. Also, keep in mind that this kind of feature will most likely be present in your average Android smartphone, so basically everyone with access to one will be able to use it.
dyoo1979 8y ago
How many of you have immigrant parents who, where English is a second language, would have great difficulty performing the kind of verbal gymnastics that you take for granted?
- Invictus0 8y ago
  My mother is an immigrant and speaks 4 languages, and I am learning my third. This is a ridiculous argument; if this is so important to you, advocate for Google translate integration into email.

daveFNbuck 8y ago

You really can't think of a better possible outcome of technology that enables humans and computers to interact in a way that's more natural for the humans?