Is technology killing our gut instincts and intuition?

DREW WILEY · Dec 2, 2016

And they certainly watched. But apparently only certain people were capable of drawing animals so life-like on the cave wall. Nowadays people don't
even know how to look, and just manipulate or concoct corny stuff in Fauxtoshop instead. So no progress over burnt sticks.

Mainecoonmaniac · Dec 2, 2016

For $720, you can forget how to tie your shoe laces.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/nike-tr...x_picks&cx_tag=collabctx&cx_artPos=6#cxrecs_s

DREW WILEY · Dec 2, 2016

Anything to make a buck, or to look cooler than your buddies, I guess. Across the tracks on the bad side of town, some young guy certainly wanted
to look cool and pull off a perfect heist at the same time, a rather routine combination of conflicting priorities. So he decided to rob a liquor store
at gunpoint and run off into the darkness on foot. But being cool, he wore piezo sneakers that sparkle every time a step is taken. I wonder if he
still wears them in prison?

Old-N-Feeble · Dec 2, 2016

DREW WILEY said:
Anything to make a buck, or to look cooler than your buddies, I guess. Across the tracks on the bad side of town, some young guy certainly wanted
to look cool and pull off a perfect heist at the same time, a rather routine combination of conflicting priorities. So he decided to rob a liquor store
at gunpoint and run off into the darkness on foot. But being cool, he wore piezo sneakers that sparkle every time a step is taken. I wonder if he
still wears them in prison?

Nope... had to switch to sparkling panties.

MattKing · Dec 2, 2016

Mainecoonmaniac said:
For $720, you can forget how to tie your shoe laces.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/nike-tr...x_picks&cx_tag=collabctx&cx_artPos=6#cxrecs_s

I would have preferred to see this technology benefiting the elderly or the physically challenged.

LAG · Jan 16, 2017

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 17, 2017

LAG said:

Great video! It's not showing that digital is necessarily bad and looking back at the good ole' days of analog either.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 17, 2017

Over the MLK weekend, I spent time goofing around hiking in the Bay Area while my wife got stuck in continuing education in a hotel ball room. I depend on Google Maps to navigate. It's great when there's a 4G cell connection. The wonderful wooded places I hiked up in the mountains doesn't have cell reception. I tried to navigate back with Google Maps with my cell phone, I discovered that my phone needed to connect with Google's servers to route my way back. What I did was drive down the hill a bit to get directions from Google. I learned that I should keep Cellulose Cartographic Technology in my car. AKA, a map! Also, when I started my hike in Muir Woods, some people used Uber to get there. Some got stranded when their Iphone app needed a cell connection to call for a ride. Opps...

Anyway, digital technology can fail in so many ways and depending on it may be have pit falls.

Luckless · Jan 17, 2017

"Right tool for the job" sort of thing. A cellphone based GPS doesn't stand up to the robustness of a dedicated GPS unit. (While not foolproof in mountainous regions, dedicated units do a much better job of tracking location than Phones due to being actual GPS receivers rather than hybrid systems typically seen in phones.)

That kind of thing really goes back to planning and people being made aware of the limitations on their gear. "It just works!" is an all too common state of mind for many, and I have more than my fair share of personal experience of how easy it is to let yourself fall into that line of thinking. "The GPS on my phone has always been reliable around home..." is not naturally a good indication of "that GPS technology is heavily reliant on cellphone towers..." to remind a user to consider other tools and such before they actually need them.

There is also this weird perception bias in things like this. "Technology is making people lazy and they're getting lost more because they don't use real maps!" is a rather flawed line of thinking when looking at reports about people getting lost. "Technology is letting people do more and take greater risks than they would have previously" is a far more accurate line of thinking from what I've seen. The sort of people who get lost or "get into trouble" 'thanks to their GPS' these days probably aren't the sort of people who would have attempted such a trip as they were on back in the 80's anyway.

Technological advances are letting humans move farther afield in the world than ever before, in vastly greater numbers, and far more frequently. There are going to be 'incidents', but technology more allows them to happen rather than acting as the direct cause.

BMbikerider · Jan 17, 2017

Simply.......... Yes! people tend to be lazy and will take the easiest way out. Nothing is wrong with that but sometimes we do need something to challenge us and stretch our minds. With GPS we can find our way to within a couple of yards of our destination but given a map a lot of people are virtally stuffed when it comes to finding their way around.

You can buy a flat pack containing a furniture item and put it together with a few simple tools. But what is much nicer aesthetically as well as satisfying is to make the whole thing yourself. Obviously if you don't have the tools or skills it is option one. If you do then option 2 is a much nicer option.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 17, 2017

Luckless said:
"Right tool for the job" sort of thing. A cellphone based GPS doesn't stand up to the robustness of a dedicated GPS unit. (While not foolproof in mountainous regions, dedicated units do a much better job of tracking location than Phones due to being actual GPS receivers rather than hybrid systems typically seen in phones.)

You're absolutely right. I think I'm just lazy and think my phone is like a Swiss Army knife of life. I don't know if I'll get a dedicated GPS unit though. It's a tool that I'll use infrequently.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 17, 2017

Going back to school was quite an ordeal for me. The last semester was especially difficult, as I was working 50 hours a week, and taking 12 credits to finish up. I needed to give up a lot of life's 'pleasures' in order to have time to finish school stuff, so I deleted all social media from my cell phone, and took a distance from Facebook and other things even on my computer.
Then, in December, I graduated, and started to wander back into social media but found it incredibly off-putting. I realized that it was just relatively meaningless waste of time, and I like my life to have meaning. So I have continued to keep a very low profile online, and have as a result become more present in real life. I come home from work, have a big glass of water, feed and play with the cats, play some music, look at some books, and relax for a while. Then I cook a meal for us and do any chores that need doing. Not once, since the middle of December, have I come home and spent an evening on my computer. The TV is gone too. It's such an incredible feeling of freedom and liberation.
When we drive out into the country side to go places we use a real map, and consult books when looking at what to do when we travel to other countries. The only thing I use my computer for is looking at photography online, scan some of my own work, personal finances, and watching the odd movie. The lack of blue light helps me sleep better, and I can feel myself coming to, like my senses are becoming reintroduced to the world; in summary I feel more connected, more alive, more alert, and more observant of the world around me - because I'm not distracted as much.

jjphoto · Jan 17, 2017

In the context of (digital) photography, all this technology has freed the individual to be creative without being limited by their knowledge of techniques or craft. Anyone can create works today that they never could have 20 years ago because they would never have dared in the first place.

Wallendo · Jan 17, 2017

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Going back to school was quite an ordeal for me. The last semester was especially difficult, as I was working 50 hours a week, and taking 12 credits to finish up. I needed to give up a lot of life's 'pleasures' in order to have time to finish school stuff, so I deleted all social media from my cell phone, and took a distance from Facebook and other things even on my computer.
Then, in December, I graduated, and started to wander back into social media but found it incredibly off-putting. I realized that it was just relatively meaningless waste of time, and I like my life to have meaning. So I have continued to keep a very low profile online, and have as a result become more present in real life. I come home from work, have a big glass of water, feed and play with the cats, play some music, look at some books, and relax for a while. Then I cook a meal for us and do any chores that need doing. Not once, since the middle of December, have I come home and spent an evening on my computer. The TV is gone too. It's such an incredible feeling of freedom and liberation.
When we drive out into the country side to go places we use a real map, and consult books when looking at what to do when we travel to other countries. The only thing I use my computer for is looking at photography online, scan some of my own work, personal finances, and watching the odd movie. The lack of blue light helps me sleep better, and I can feel myself coming to, like my senses are becoming reintroduced to the world; in summary I feel more connected, more alive, more alert, and more observant of the world around me - because I'm not distracted as much.

What you have found is a balance between technology and lifestyle.
There is still a lot of technology at work.
Filling a glass of water from a faucet would have been unheard of in most of the world a few centuries ago.
Fresh food stored at home requires refrigeration, a fairly modern technology
Listening to music prior to the 20th century was only for the wealthy who could hire their own musicians.
Books were limited to use only by wealthy institutions and a few wealthy individuals prior to the printing press.
The cartographic technology for truly accurate maps is also fairly recent. Not to mention the car you drive in.
My happy medium may be somewhat more technologically modern than yours, but that's a matter of personal preference.

To me, the great danger of modern technology is a disconnect from reality. Our understanding of news is filtered through third parties. This itself is nothing new. The Spanish-American War was largely precipitated by "fake news". Multiple images from the War of Southern Succession were faked. With social media and digital technology, however, it has become quite easy for just about anyone to manipulate photographs and create fake news, and even to decry legitimate photographs as fake.

Even worse, sometimes I spend time on APUG when I could be taking photographs.

Sirius Glass · Jan 17, 2017

I found that I can get myself lost much faster and much more lost using GPS than on my own.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 18, 2017

Wallendo said:
What you have found is a balance between technology and lifestyle.
There is still a lot of technology at work.
Filling a glass of water from a faucet would have been unheard of in most of the world a few centuries ago.
Fresh food stored at home requires refrigeration, a fairly modern technology
Listening to music prior to the 20th century was only for the wealthy who could hire their own musicians.
Books were limited to use only by wealthy institutions and a few wealthy individuals prior to the printing press.
The cartographic technology for truly accurate maps is also fairly recent. Not to mention the car you drive in.
My happy medium may be somewhat more technologically modern than yours, but that's a matter of personal preference.

To me, the great danger of modern technology is a disconnect from reality. Our understanding of news is filtered through third parties. This itself is nothing new. The Spanish-American War was largely precipitated by "fake news". Multiple images from the War of Southern Succession were faked. With social media and digital technology, however, it has become quite easy for just about anyone to manipulate photographs and create fake news, and even to decry legitimate photographs as fake.

Even worse, sometimes I spend time on APUG when I could be taking photographs.

Well, a lot of times we don't have a choice. I guess I could live without a refrigerator, but that wouldn't accomplish anything positive in my life. It would mean more waste, and eating foods that were less healthy because they'd need to be processed more to last, like pickling or preserving.

I understand what you're saying, and agree with your sentiments. Your comment about 'disconnect from reality' is essentially what I'm trying to achieve, so when I do acquire news, I do so very carefully and selectively, and a few moments at a time, but the difference is that I seek it out - I don't let it seek me out, with ads or via Facebook or Twitter where it magically appears in my stream. That's a big difference, and I think more people should attempt it. The stress that occurs from being fed sensationalist news, and the difficulty to keep things in perspective as a result of the 'onslaught of information', is damaging to the public, which must learn to seek out good information and doing due diligence in the process. Places like Breitbart news wouldn't last long if people did.

Anyway... Thanks for your reply. I enjoyed your perspective a lot.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 18, 2017

I think technology can help mankind. Vaccines and some aspects of modern medicine is good. Sometimes technology separates people. I've heard the Amish would have a phone installed outside the house so it would make it difficult to use. This would encourage personal visitations. Other technology that divides us are cars. We all drive around in these bubbles that disconnect us. It's an cozy place where we're disconnected from the environment and other people. Back in the days when people had to walk or take the bus, there was more human interaction. How about air conditioning? In the summer, most people including me, have the AC on in our cocoons. I remember when I was a kid, people sat on the porch to cool off in the evenings. From that, people chatted the evening away.

Thomas Bertilsson is right about making choices. Technology offers us comfort and convenience. But the trick is not to be a victim of it.
Loneliness is now a health epidemic. I think technology is one of many causes.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/health/lonliness-aging-health-effects.html?_r=0

removed account4 · Jan 18, 2017

Mainecoonmaniac said:
Loneliness is now a health epidemic. I think technology is one of many causes.

you are right but technology has a cure for that ...
http://fortune.com/2016/12/18/gatebox-virtual-assistant-japan/

Bob Carnie · Jan 18, 2017

This topic is close to my heart, I purchased a piece of technology fifteen years ago , that I have held onto for years solely so I can make film (large) for myself and my wife - this device cost the price of the home and takes up a normal room . After exhaustive research into different processes and methods of working I have determined that if I buy over 60 rolls of film ( 20 inch x 50ft) I can archive in a known method silver negatives to save my images to print at a later time. Once this is done I can revert back to simpler methods of working with very simple tools, but the device
I have held onto like a boat anchor, is the only device that I know that can do what I want, which is make separation continuous tone negatives.
So I have been caught between a rock and a hard place, I have needed this technology to get to the place I want to be, but 60 rolls of film , two years of separation and negative work and I can let go of the machine, maybe to a younger worker who will take the albatross and put it around their neck or sell it for scrap.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 18, 2017

jnanian said:
you are right but technology has a cure for that ...
http://fortune.com/2016/12/18/gatebox-virtual-assistant-japan/

Lonely? Got an app for that!

wiltw · Jan 18, 2017

Is technology killing our gut instincts and intuition?
Last year, my son-in-law was caught in very heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Interstate, trying to get to a family vacation gathering at two homes being rented in Utah. His GPS showed him a secondary road seeming to parallel the Interstate. So he drove onto the secondary road, but it was NOT PAVED...it was, at best, a trail for a 4WD, but since his car was AWD he felt confident enough. That is, until after driving on the road for a while, he encountered a number of vehicles that had already gotten STUCK IN LOOSE DIRT. IOW, technology had led ALL of them onto a 'road' which was not safe to travel into the desert. Fortunately his gut instincts overrode his confidence sufficiently to cause him to turn around and get back onto the slow Interstate. Otherwise we might have ended up with an emergency search and rescue effort before they became 3 skeletons baking in the hot desert sun. Blindly following the GPS, rather than using common sense, has proven to be fatal!
Just look at the idiot pedestrians who are so busy reading their smartphones as they walk down the street that they do not even LOOK FOR ONCOMING CARS when the step into the street. True exhibition of the Darwin Effect!

I just read about some photographer who was commenting about his exposure differing in different modes...yet he failed to recognize that the INDOOR lighting the scene was not jumping around in intensity! Lack of instinct and common sense, and over reliance on a meter to tell him everything!

Technology which divides us...Last month my wife and I were seated in a restaurant next to a group of six people, three men and three women, all in about the same age bracket. They all were on their smartphones, all six of them, but none of them was interacting 'on the phone' in a telephone call. But all were very engrossed in their smartphone and not talking to one another. Then after about 20 minutes the food was brought to their table, and although they put down their phones to eat, none of them said anything at all to one another. Pathetic lack of social interaction with one another, but the phones themselves were apparently not to be entirely responsible for their behavior!

Saganich · Jan 18, 2017

Whats the point of technology? Is it equipment in the sense that it has suitability, appropriateness, and social normative conditions necessary for defining ourselves in the world? Or is the point that technology is supposed to result in a "culturally-rich, steady state, systems-literate, resilient society"? or both. I think both definitions, if fulfilled by technology, would suggest the technology is beneficial to us all. Such technology would bring us joy help define ourselves in culture, help create cohesive and rich culture. Such technology I like: Deepening quality of life. However there is another insidious definition where "technology" is conflated with market economy and economic growth...well that's always been the case since the plow I suppose...but growth is not forever, right? So technology that is grossly eroding the foundation capital all culture requires for survival; soil, water, climate, etc, is not so suitable or appropriate. Unfortunately much of this type of technology we now need and rely upon and requires growing amount of infrastructure, resources, human capital etc., just to maintain let alone accelerate. The main question was if we are losing instinct or gut reaction to technology, but I'd say as personal issues they aren't all that important (if one used maps and forgets how to get someplace, or doesn't learn to multiply) compared to the problem that much of our technology may be undermining the foundations of culture and societal resiliency for the sake of economic growth. So, place your technology in the appropriate definition is it suitable, appropriate, have social normative conditions, does it add to culture, help create a steady economic state, a resilient society, does it bring joy, or is it part of the toil and toll of being a citizen? Not so easy.

michr · Jan 18, 2017

Honestly, the skills OP listed aren't really instinctual, because we do have to learn them after all, and many aren't intuitive, they just feel that way after prolonged exposure. The advance of technology enables us to decrease the time between our intention and its realization. What I find tiresome are arguments about technology that just harken back to the last generation of technology, ignorant of most of what came before.

Technology and skills become obsolete, and never so rapidly as in the most recent decades. Human beings have created artifacts of amazing complexity which even specialists understand well at only one layer of abstraction. It seems only fitting that taken as a group people will use those skills that today make sense for their well-being, and forget or never learn or be taught those that are less useful or beneficial. I'd like to imagine at some point the past someone said, "These kids today need a map to tell them where they're going".

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 18, 2017

michr said:
"These kids today need a map to tell them where they're going".

Kids need a map to tell them where they're going is probably a result of parents doing everything for them. They're not encouraged to explore and get into trouble.

Sirius Glass · Jan 18, 2017

Sometimes one must learn the basics before using the technological advances to understand how to get the best results.

Other times the advances can be utilized right away, for example one can use keyers to time the length of the dits and dahs as well as send multiple dits and dahs rather than using a straight key to send Morse Code. That way from the start the lengths of the dits and dahs are clean and consistent; and strings of dits and strings of dahs also clean and consistent.

Is technology killing our gut instincts and intuition?

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