2019/03/10

Are We Really This Dependent On Tech?

Da Goddess @ 10:14

When I first got settled in to new place (settled does NOT equal unpacked, BTW), I discovered the microwave wasn’t 100% in top working order. The landlord ordered a new one for me. It was from Amazon. With an Alexa option.

Are we really at the point in our evolution that we require our basic small appliances to connect to the internet so we don’t have to figure out the optimal setting to reheat a dinner OR to pop some popcorn? I don’t think we are, but apparently some do.

I don’t have Alexa. I don’t WANT Alexa. I just want to be able to nuke my water so I can have some tea, or maybe I just want to cook my Hot Pocket. I don’t need Alexa for those tasks. I can tell you right now the optimal time needed to heat a cup of water is 2 1/2 minutes (though I always heat for 2mins 34secs because I’m weird). If I’m reheating food, well, a couple minutes works most of the time. If my food isn’t heated thoroughly, I zap it for another 30 seconds or longer. I don’t need Alexa to decide anything.

I’m not the only one who thinks Alexa is unnecessary to work a microwave:

From rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>TechCrunch

Being able to say “Alexa” sometimes and other times not adds a bit of cognitive overhead to using the voice commands. Instead of making things easier, it complicates them.

Yes, using Alexa actually complicates warming food! Shouldn’t it be easier? I’m sure for a certain generation, this is easy peasy lemon squeezy. That generation would rather speak commands to a microwave, toaster, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner, or hell, even their vibrator, than to just use one. Do we want future generations to continue down this path? I vote NO. If we continue to rely on technology to the point where we no longer know how to do things on our own, we may as well tune out permanently.

It’s bad enough we rely on our phones for surfing the net, texting instead of calling people, diverting our attention from family or work so we can play a game or shop, or to get directions to places we go all the fucking time. C’mon, people! We have to keep our brains engaged or we’ll become little more than mush-headed idiots a la Idiocracy. And we really don’t want to be raising tech-savvy kids incapable of making a pb&j on their own without AI talking them through every step.

Alexa will never be a part of my home. Never. I can do shit on my own (except for changing bulbs in my ceiling fan or hanging curtains without a power screwdriver). But you know, it would be fabulous if I could change the time on the microwave on my own without having to look up how on the damn internet. Ugh.

2 Comments

  1. I’m with you; there is nothing in my home that can listen to me… we’ve even disabled the Siri doohickey in our phones.

    Comment by pam — 2019/03/11 @ 07:00

  2. I don’t do talk-to-text, I’ve disabled it on my phone bc it takes up too much space. Plus, if I want to talk to anyone I have the cat. ;)

    I don’t need a smart home because I was taught how to do things for myself. Leave that tech for people who are unable to do the same.

    Comment by Da Goddess — 2019/03/17 @ 06:03

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