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"What we want from Apple isn't new technology. We want human warmth — a possibility of living a more fulfilled, meaningful life." I think this sums up nicely w

"What we want from Apple isn't new technology. We want human warmth — a possibility of living a more fulfilled, meaningful life." I think this sums up nicely what's wrong here: The belief that technology will make your life more fulfilled or meaningful. I didn't watch the live keynote (I don't have the required Apple gear) but saw excerpts on Youtube, and frankly, I find the level of religiousness surrounding this event appalling. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I really don't like how emotionally charged most products are today, in the sense that they are supposed to not only solve a technological problem, but at the same time fulfill a social or even religious role and provide "human warmth", as the author puts it. It's not only Apple who does this (BMW comes to mind with their Mini commercials), but it seems they perfected this art to a point where their events have more resemblance to a Lenie Riefenstahl movie than a trade show (no comparison intended beyond the aesthetics of the presentation). And does technology actually live up to the promise? Studies show that, although we have more superficial interactions through technology, the number of close friends diminishes and more and more people become socially isolated. Take the metro / subway in any big, affluent city these days, and look around you. What do you see? People whose eyes are glued to their phone screens, oblivious to the persons around them, looking for "human warmth" in their virtual companion. That's really not the society I want to live in. Sorry for the rant, I just think that especially people who are very savvy and enthusiastic about technology and full of entrepreneurial spirit (like most readers of HN) are especially susceptible to this kind of religious admiration of technology and should sometimes take a step back to ask themselves what kind of society they're actually creating with their actions.

k-mcgrady 12y ago
>> "Take the metro / subway in any big, affluent city these days, and look around youself. What do you see? People whose eyes are glued to their phone screens, oblivious to the people around them, looking for "human warmth" in their virtual companion. That's really not the society I want to live in." I agree with a lot of what you said but this isn't correct. True we all have out faces buried in our devices but before that we had them buried in newspapers. [0][1][2] No matter the decade people don't look for human warmth on public transport. They want to get on, look down, and get off. [0] http://img.qz.com/2014/01/baghi49cyaaz2ps.jpg?w=1024&h=714 http://img.qz.com/2014/01/baghi49cyaaz2ps.jpg?w=1024&h=714 [1] http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/01/article-2137695-12D9DA07000005DC-38_968x617.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/01/article-2137695-12... [2] https://www.wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Riders-read-their-morning-newspapers-on-New-Yorks-subway-en-route-to-work-on-April-1-1963-after-the-end-of-the-citys-114-day-newspaper-strike.-AP-PhotoJacob-Harris.jpg https://www.wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Riders-...
- Shivetya 12y ago
  and the difference now is many of those whose faces are buried in their smartphones are likely communicating with someone.If anything people are communicating more.
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  - mironathetin 12y ago
    People are entertaining themselves more!
    - baldfat 12y ago
      People are terrified of silence and lone time. Sadly this is what people actually need. Challenge any of you to just leave your phone in the house on a Saturday and drive to a park and walk for 2 hours and on the way stop at some nice spot and sit alone for 20 minutes. You'll be shocked at how you feel mentally.
    - TeMPOraL 12y ago
      From a small statistical sample of people I meet every day in public transport when going to and back from work, I can say that almost everyone looking at the phone is either texting or IM-ing (Facebook Messenger/Snapchat), and if not they're usually on Facebook (which I'd still classify as mostly communicating). Usually the only person I with a game on I can spot is myself playing Ingress, because the city centre is full of portals ;). And in general, looking at my life and the life of my friends, cow-orkers and family, people are communicating hell and a lot more than they used to. If anything is a problem, it's maybe not lack of but too much human interaction. People don't find time to think for even few minutes anymore, because there's always someone texting you, chatting to you or some interesting post to comment on.
danbruc 12y ago
Couldn't agree more, but when you have to sell a phone that is just like every other phone, you quickly run out of other ways to advertise it.
smanuel 12y ago
> Take the metro / subway in any big, affluent city these days, and look around you. What do you see? People whose eyes are glued to their phone screens, oblivious to the persons around them, looking for "human warmth" in their virtual companion. That's really not the society I want to live in. This old photo (http://imgur.com/WkHHpZ1 http://imgur.com/WkHHpZ1) comes to mind when I read this. Don't blame technology.
- LaGrange 12y ago
  And, on the phone I'm likely to be conversing with friends and acquaintances. Beats staring at newspapers. Oh, and my phone has OKCupid and Meetup.com. But the original post goes into creepypasta territory with the human warmth thing. "Jobs: I feel her pulse against mine." It reminds me of http://windows95tips.com/post/34200923828 http://windows95tips.com/post/34200923828
  - nly 12y ago
    On the other hand, you're just as likely to be playing Angry Birds.
    - LaGrange 12y ago
      That's terrible, but the likelihood of me being in contact with my peers remains higher. Relative social and/or personal usefulness of Angry Birds versus reading news is another matter.
jacquesm 12y ago
The subway is just a horizontal and larger version of the elevator, a place where people are trying very hard to not have to interact with those around them. The trip is short enough that you can't really talk, probably you see the same faces every day and you feel awkward. Situations like that give people a ton of reasons to look for an excuse, be it a book, a newspaper or their phone. They're also cranky, it's early morning before their first cup-of-favorite-beverage or late in the day when they simply want to get home from the office. It's a collectively murderous mood, not unlike what you'd get if you put all the people in a traffic jam into a single box. Compare with trains and you see the opposite, people get to talk to each other, make friends. Other than that I completely agree with you, technology will not by itself make your life more fulfilled or meaningful and quite possibly will make it less so. The way this stuff is marketed is as though the mere ownership of gadget 'x' will make you more attractive/interesting/happy. And that's never the case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill and http://www.listenmoneymatters.com/materialism-is-killing-you/ http://www.listenmoneymatters.com/materialism-is-killing-you...
sspiff 12y ago
You know, for an article filled with satire, people seem to be taking the first part seriously. I took it all as satirical, and I enjoyed it.
coldpie 12y ago
Hey grampa, how'd you get on hacker news? Seriously, it's always been like this and it will always be like this. You're just ranting about "kids these days" because their choice of distraction is different from what yours was.
frogpelt 12y ago
You should listen to Simon Sinek's TED talk about "Start With Why". He also has written a book with the same name. The reason people like Apple products, and consequently Apple the company, is because they like how Apple approaches building products. Apple starts with "Why?" and works their way to "What?" Obviously, this approach doesn't appeal to everyone but it does explain that "religiousness" you described.
transpy 12y ago
People's eyes are not glued to their screens. I'm sure that they can move their eyes and point them onto other targets, and I'd like to see the evidence of any sticky substance between the ocular globes and the crystal screens. I don't understand the need of hyperbole, in general. Why is it necessary to exaggerate to make a point?
transpy 12y ago
What is the society you would like to live in? A society in which intellectual and philosophical discussions pop up spontaneously on the subway? Or a society in which strangers stop to hug each other in the middle of the street and start conversing dearly and profoundly?
stealthlogic 12y ago
Well said.
WettowelReactor 12y ago
While this technology may not lead to a more fulfilled or meaningful life there is plenty of technology that can achieve that goal. Look at the progress made for artificial limbs for example. Even this type of technology can make a huge difference depending on circumstance. Several types of disabilities are easier to deal with using an iPad over the crummy alternatives that existed before.

k-mcgrady 12y ago

>> "Take the metro / subway in any big, affluent city these days, and look around youself. What do you see? People whose eyes are glued to their phone screens, oblivious to the people around them, looking for "human warmth" in their virtual companion. That's really not the society I want to live in." I agree with a lot of what you said but this isn't correct. True we all have out faces buried in our devices but before that we had them buried in newspapers. [0][1][2] No matter the decade people don't look for human warmth on public transport. They want to get on, look down, and get off. [0] http://img.qz.com/2014/01/baghi49cyaaz2ps.jpg?w=1024&h=714 http://img.qz.com/2014/01/baghi49cyaaz2ps.jpg?w=1024&h=714 [1] http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/01/article-2137695-12D9DA07000005DC-38_968x617.jpg http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/01/article-2137695-12... [2] https://www.wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Riders-read-their-morning-newspapers-on-New-Yorks-subway-en-route-to-work-on-April-1-1963-after-the-end-of-the-citys-114-day-newspaper-strike.-AP-PhotoJacob-Harris.jpg https://www.wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Riders-...

Shivetya 12y ago
and the difference now is many of those whose faces are buried in their smartphones are likely communicating with someone.If anything people are communicating more.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- mironathetin 12y ago
  People are entertaining themselves more!
  - baldfat 12y ago
    People are terrified of silence and lone time. Sadly this is what people actually need. Challenge any of you to just leave your phone in the house on a Saturday and drive to a park and walk for 2 hours and on the way stop at some nice spot and sit alone for 20 minutes. You'll be shocked at how you feel mentally.
  - TeMPOraL 12y ago
    From a small statistical sample of people I meet every day in public transport when going to and back from work, I can say that almost everyone looking at the phone is either texting or IM-ing (Facebook Messenger/Snapchat), and if not they're usually on Facebook (which I'd still classify as mostly communicating). Usually the only person I with a game on I can spot is myself playing Ingress, because the city centre is full of portals ;). And in general, looking at my life and the life of my friends, cow-orkers and family, people are communicating hell and a lot more than they used to. If anything is a problem, it's maybe not lack of but too much human interaction. People don't find time to think for even few minutes anymore, because there's always someone texting you, chatting to you or some interesting post to comment on.

danbruc 12y ago

Couldn't agree more, but when you have to sell a phone that is just like every other phone, you quickly run out of other ways to advertise it.

smanuel 12y ago

> Take the metro / subway in any big, affluent city these days, and look around you. What do you see? People whose eyes are glued to their phone screens, oblivious to the persons around them, looking for "human warmth" in their virtual companion. That's really not the society I want to live in. This old photo (http://imgur.com/WkHHpZ1 http://imgur.com/WkHHpZ1) comes to mind when I read this. Don't blame technology.

LaGrange 12y ago
And, on the phone I'm likely to be conversing with friends and acquaintances. Beats staring at newspapers. Oh, and my phone has OKCupid and Meetup.com. But the original post goes into creepypasta territory with the human warmth thing. "Jobs: I feel her pulse against mine." It reminds me of http://windows95tips.com/post/34200923828 http://windows95tips.com/post/34200923828
- nly 12y ago
  On the other hand, you're just as likely to be playing Angry Birds.
  - LaGrange 12y ago
    That's terrible, but the likelihood of me being in contact with my peers remains higher. Relative social and/or personal usefulness of Angry Birds versus reading news is another matter.

jacquesm 12y ago

The subway is just a horizontal and larger version of the elevator, a place where people are trying very hard to not have to interact with those around them. The trip is short enough that you can't really talk, probably you see the same faces every day and you feel awkward. Situations like that give people a ton of reasons to look for an excuse, be it a book, a newspaper or their phone. They're also cranky, it's early morning before their first cup-of-favorite-beverage or late in the day when they simply want to get home from the office. It's a collectively murderous mood, not unlike what you'd get if you put all the people in a traffic jam into a single box. Compare with trains and you see the opposite, people get to talk to each other, make friends. Other than that I completely agree with you, technology will not by itself make your life more fulfilled or meaningful and quite possibly will make it less so. The way this stuff is marketed is as though the mere ownership of gadget 'x' will make you more attractive/interesting/happy. And that's never the case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill and http://www.listenmoneymatters.com/materialism-is-killing-you/ http://www.listenmoneymatters.com/materialism-is-killing-you...

sspiff 12y ago

You know, for an article filled with satire, people seem to be taking the first part seriously. I took it all as satirical, and I enjoyed it.

coldpie 12y ago

Hey grampa, how'd you get on hacker news? Seriously, it's always been like this and it will always be like this. You're just ranting about "kids these days" because their choice of distraction is different from what yours was.

frogpelt 12y ago

You should listen to Simon Sinek's TED talk about "Start With Why". He also has written a book with the same name. The reason people like Apple products, and consequently Apple the company, is because they like how Apple approaches building products. Apple starts with "Why?" and works their way to "What?" Obviously, this approach doesn't appeal to everyone but it does explain that "religiousness" you described.

transpy 12y ago

People's eyes are not glued to their screens. I'm sure that they can move their eyes and point them onto other targets, and I'd like to see the evidence of any sticky substance between the ocular globes and the crystal screens. I don't understand the need of hyperbole, in general. Why is it necessary to exaggerate to make a point?

transpy 12y ago

What is the society you would like to live in? A society in which intellectual and philosophical discussions pop up spontaneously on the subway? Or a society in which strangers stop to hug each other in the middle of the street and start conversing dearly and profoundly?

stealthlogic 12y ago

Well said.

WettowelReactor 12y ago

While this technology may not lead to a more fulfilled or meaningful life there is plenty of technology that can achieve that goal. Look at the progress made for artificial limbs for example. Even this type of technology can make a huge difference depending on circumstance. Several types of disabilities are easier to deal with using an iPad over the crummy alternatives that existed before.