Whoops

The thing about technology is that you really don't know how it's going to turn out. I'm not talking about practical applications for pure research, which could fill volumes, but rather the unexpected consequences of technology products that are introduced into the marketplace.

I remember when email was first introduced in the business world. Prior to that, every day many of us battled to make telephone contact, sometimes exchanging messages a half dozen times in an effort to connect with another busy executive. Email solved that, like a true labor-saving technological innovation. But what was never expected, never talked about, never warned against, was that email would create much MORE communication. We communicate more frequently with more people on more topics, most of them unwanted (spam) and many others unnecessary. I bet I spend 2-3 hours a day just reading and replying to emails. And did anyone think that email would so quickly erode our national collective skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling? I don't think so.

When cell phones were introduced, did anyone predict there would be more traffic accidents? Or that it would change the way most people think about photography--taking a lot more photos, virtually all of them awful? Only about seven years ago I did a consulting project and wireless suppliers were all wondering what cell features were going to be popular and marketable. It's amazing how things like text messaging takes off (as it did in Europe and Asia long before the U.S.), leading again, to "always on" communications with more people, but at a much shallower depth.

I have observed another unintended consequence at my local health club. Because everyone wears iPods, no one talks anymore. It used to be that the gym was a more social place, and friendly strangers connected with those around them. Not any more, because even the smallest of comments is a communications event--someone stops, wonders if you said something, pulls the earpiece out so you can repeat it, then awkwardly waits for this interrupting exchange to be finished so he can reconnect. No more small talk.

I love technology, and daily marvel at its capabilities, but I am more afraid of it than ever, because I see it wearing off the edges of our humanity in ways we can't foretell.