Communication In A Digital Age

 

Digital Communications, more or less productive? 

On the Tinkering With Tech show we talk all the time about productivity and trying to improve the use of our time and energy. We discuss organizational tools, implementation of systems and streamlining the process to accomplish more with less.

With all these tools, computer programs, apps, electronic gadgets and gizmos I wonder how much of it is making things easier and how much is getting in the way?

In this digital age, are we actually saving ourselves time, money, and/or sanity?

This reminds me of a story…

No Computer Equals No Big Mac! A little story from Heather

There have been a few instances in recent years where I have wondered, “Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, right?”

One of the most recent instances involved a trip to a fast food place that we won’t name, but when I went to the counter to order my Big Mac meal with no pickles, I was greeted with a frustrated young face that simply said, 

“I’m sorry, our computers are down right now. We can’t take any orders.”

Me: NONE?

Them: nope

Me: Can you just write it down?

Them: I don’t think I can do that. I have no way to give you change or process a payment.

Me: I have cash, exact change even.

Them: Sorry, I can’t. It isn’t possible.

My response: confusion. 

Racing through my mind was this ramble of thoughts…

Do the computers cook the french fries? Will the computer forget to tell you to flip the burger patty over? Are the buns unable to be toasted because you can not plug in my order? Is there a robot somewhere that assembles the burgers, adds the special sauce and I just had no idea how little humans were involved in this process?

My conclusion…that I came to with an empty stomach, by the way…the one thing the computer was not in charge of; the door! Because they never once locked it or put up a sign stopping people from coming in only to be greeted by “sorry, but I can not take your order until my computer is fixed.”

I stood there in shock as one by one customers would come in ready to give their order and the young face would respond in the same way to each person. Like an English Guard at the Palace, unwavering from their post of poor nutrition denial! 

I have experienced this a few times with someone trying to make change as well. Some folks just rely on the computer too much and it has simplified the expectations of the workforce…or maybe that is just my experience.

I digress.

How many emails do you use? Do you still have a landline?

And other fun questions like that will be a topic of this week’s show. 

We want to explore communication in a digital age, how it has changed (or not changed) for us and the things we use that we never did before or still use that we won’t stop using or things we wish we still had!

Watch the Show Live February 16, 2022 5 PM EST

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