I was thumbing through an article on how technology makes our lives easier and, being somewhat contrarian in such matters, immediately thought of ways in which it makes our lives more complicated. Some examples:
- The person who emails a question today probably expects a reply either today or tomorrow. In the past, a person would send a letter to you and not expect a reply for a week, maybe two. On the surface of that example, technology benefits the sender but not the recipient. On the other hand, if the rushed reply is of lower quality than one given after more thought, then technology hasn't helped either side.
- The person who sends an email to a mass of co-workers, then immediately discovers an error, has used a device that permits mistakes to be made more quickly.
- A Google-preserved mistake is forever. Old letters containing mistakes are sometimes tossed out.
- The use of cell phones creates the expectation that you can be reached anywhere at any moment. Sometimes you don't want to be reached.
Any others?
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