'Our minds can be hijacked': the tech insiders who fear a smartphonedystopia

Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia

“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today�. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

--
David B.

Chronic nym-shifting psychopath troll...

--
David_B David_B nomail.afraid.org wrote:

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Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia

ƒ oA handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
todayƒ . (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

--
David B.

WHY are you a chronic nym-shifting psychopath troll, John Doe?

--
David B.

David_B wrote:
WHY are you a chronic nym-shifting psychopath troll, John Doe?


David, I like to think of you as a chronically off-topic
troll, who likes to crosspost. Does that description
fit you better ?

Paul

On 10-Oct-17 10:37 PM, Paul wrote:
David_B wrote:
WHY are you a chronic nym-shifting psychopath troll, John Doe?


David, I like to think of you as a chronically off-topic
troll, who likes to crosspost. Does that description
fit you better ?

Â*Â* Paul

No. :-)

What did you think of the article, Paul?

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia

--
David B.

On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia


“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today�. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

--
Myth, after all, is what we believe naturally. History is what we must
painfully learn and struggle to remember. -Albert Goldman

On 11-Oct-17 7:40 AM, Martin Edwards wrote:
On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia



“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
todayâ€�.Â* (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

I resisted right up until earlier this year! ;-)

You might enjoy watching this 5 minutes of 'truth' which, I believe,
every youngster should watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY

Have a great day! :-)

David B.

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:40:09 +0100, Martin Edwards
wrote:

On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia


“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today”. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

Great decision. Most people nowadays don't want to rely on a home line
anymore for contacts and feel that they need to be accessible wherever
they are "in case of emergency." However, they don't see how much of a
prison they've created for themselves by doing just that. Back in the
day, if you were out of the house then you were free of all concern.
Now, with the smartphone, you're still within reach for all of your
responsibilities. I can't imagine how that is better for anyone
without considering what addictions such a device also ends up
creating.

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 08:00:48 +0100, David_B
wrote:

On 11-Oct-17 7:40 AM, Martin Edwards wrote:
On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia



“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today”.* (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

I resisted right up until earlier this year! ;-)

You might enjoy watching this 5 minutes of 'truth' which, I believe,
every youngster should watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY

Have a great day! :-)

David B.

Great video. You've just given me material for my students this
morning!

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:54:35 -0400, Doomsdrzej wrote:

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:40:09 +0100, Martin Edwards
wrote:

On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia


“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today”. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

Great decision. Most people nowadays don't want to rely on a home line
anymore for contacts and feel that they need to be accessible wherever
they are "in case of emergency." However, they don't see how much of a
prison they've created for themselves by doing just that. Back in the
day, if you were out of the house then you were free of all concern.
Now, with the smartphone, you're still within reach for all of your
responsibilities. I can't imagine how that is better for anyone
without considering what addictions such a device also ends up
creating.

For me, and I think for most people (but that's a very common bias),
having a cell phone (preferably a smart phone) frees us from the prison
of staying in the house in order to make sure we don't miss that call
we're expecting. It also means being able to call ahead when my arrival
gets delayed, check menus at local restaurants, check which movies are
playing near me and their show times, watch my favorite sports teams
while I'm away from home, check local weather in whatever city I happen
to be in, get navigation assistance from anywhere to anywhere, and so
much more. There's a very good reason why people glue their smart phone
to their face - it's an endless source of information and communication.
Once you have something like that, you ask yourself what took so long.
It's extremely liberating.

It's sort of like people who have a DVR and those who don't. People
without a DVR, and I know a few, are always arranging their schedule so
that they can be home when their favorite programs air. The rest of us,
with our fancy DVRs, take a completely different approach. We're not
chained to the TV schedule. Our programs will be recorded when they air
and will be available at our convenience, not at someone else's
convenience. Again, it's extremely liberating.

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 11:57:51 -0500, Char Jackson
wrote:

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:54:35 -0400, Doomsdrzej wrote:

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:40:09 +0100, Martin Edwards
wrote:

On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia


“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today”. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

Great decision. Most people nowadays don't want to rely on a home line
anymore for contacts and feel that they need to be accessible wherever
they are "in case of emergency." However, they don't see how much of a
prison they've created for themselves by doing just that. Back in the
day, if you were out of the house then you were free of all concern.
Now, with the smartphone, you're still within reach for all of your
responsibilities. I can't imagine how that is better for anyone
without considering what addictions such a device also ends up
creating.

For me, and I think for most people (but that's a very common bias),
having a cell phone (preferably a smart phone) frees us from the prison
of staying in the house in order to make sure we don't miss that call
we're expecting. It also means being able to call ahead when my arrival
gets delayed, check menus at local restaurants, check which movies are
playing near me and their show times, watch my favorite sports teams
while I'm away from home, check local weather in whatever city I happen
to be in, get navigation assistance from anywhere to anywhere, and so
much more. There's a very good reason why people glue their smart phone
to their face - it's an endless source of information and communication.
Once you have something like that, you ask yourself what took so long.
It's extremely liberating.


I'm not one of those "most people." I have a cell phone, but hardly
ever receive or make phone calls with it. I carry it for emergencies,
and, if she's expecting me, to let my wife know I'll be late.

It's a smart phone, but I hardly ever use its "smartness" except when
I'm traveling. Then I use it for e-mail, as a Kindle reader, and for
an occasional web search.



It's sort of like people who have a DVR and those who don't. People
without a DVR, and I know a few, are always arranging their schedule so
that they can be home when their favorite programs air. The rest of us,
with our fancy DVRs, take a completely different approach. We're not
chained to the TV schedule. Our programs will be recorded when they air
and will be available at our convenience, not at someone else's
convenience. Again, it's extremely liberating.



I don't have a DVR. And I am not "always arranging my schedule so
that I can be home when my favorite programs air." I don't have any
favorite programs, and I almost never watch television.

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 11:57:51 -0500, Char Jackson
wrote:

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:54:35 -0400, Doomsdrzej wrote:

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 07:40:09 +0100, Martin Edwards
wrote:

On 10/10/2017 8:54 AM, David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia


“A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today”. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)

So don't have a smartphone, I haven't.

Great decision. Most people nowadays don't want to rely on a home line
anymore for contacts and feel that they need to be accessible wherever
they are "in case of emergency." However, they don't see how much of a
prison they've created for themselves by doing just that. Back in the
day, if you were out of the house then you were free of all concern.
Now, with the smartphone, you're still within reach for all of your
responsibilities. I can't imagine how that is better for anyone
without considering what addictions such a device also ends up
creating.

For me, and I think for most people (but that's a very common bias),
having a cell phone (preferably a smart phone) frees us from the prison
of staying in the house in order to make sure we don't miss that call
we're expecting. It also means being able to call ahead when my arrival
gets delayed, check menus at local restaurants, check which movies are
playing near me and their show times, watch my favorite sports teams
while I'm away from home, check local weather in whatever city I happen
to be in, get navigation assistance from anywhere to anywhere, and so
much more. There's a very good reason why people glue their smart phone
to their face - it's an endless source of information and communication.
Once you have something like that, you ask yourself what took so long.
It's extremely liberating.

It's sort of like people who have a DVR and those who don't. People
without a DVR, and I know a few, are always arranging their schedule so
that they can be home when their favorite programs air. The rest of us,
with our fancy DVRs, take a completely different approach. We're not
chained to the TV schedule. Our programs will be recorded when they air
and will be available at our convenience, not at someone else's
convenience. Again, it's extremely liberating.

Good points well made! Thanks for that.

"Ken Blake" wrote


I'm not one of those "most people." I have a cell phone, but hardly
ever receive or make phone calls with it. I carry it for emergencies,
and, if she's expecting me, to let my wife know I'll be late.


I use it the same way. And it's not even smart.
Just a Tracphone.

Just now I drove home behind numerous people
diddling their phones. It's become a maddening,
dangerous problem. One man was driving several car
lengths behind everyone else, with his brakes on.
I finally passed him and beeped. He didn't even
look up from his phone. And it wasn't a college kid.
It was a man probably close to 70. Salt and pepper,
neatly trimmed beard. Perhaps a professor.

It's amazing to me that we've acclimated to such
madness. But that's really another topic. There's
cellphone addiction -- always fearing one will miss
something, as Char put it, and thus living in a kind of
mental hamster wheel of faux urgency -- and then
there's Internet services addiction: Feeling connected
via Facebook, Twitter, etc. I've noticed that both the
NYT and Boston Globe now have pages in the front
section (p. 2-3 in the NYT) that are just nonsense
"fun facts" and ads for their "trending stories" online.
They're section meant to advertise their website to
the paper readers, as well as provide chat fooder
for social sites. Today I was reading in the Globe that
Burger King is coming out with spicy nuggets to
compete with Wendys. That was a headline! "New
prattle for posting to your feed" is now a section of
the newspaper.

What about people on computers all day and daily like me instead of
smartphones?


In alt.comp.os.windows-10 David_B wrote:
Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so
addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet. Paul Lewis
reports on the Silicon Valley refuseniks alarmed by a race for human
attention
by Paul Lewis in San Francisco

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...alley-dystopia

???A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies,
through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking
today???. (Tristan Harris, a 33-year-old former Google employee)
--
Quote of the Week: "The ant's a centaur in his dragon world. Pull down thy vanity, it is not man... Made courage, or made order, or made grace,... Pull down thy vanity, I say pull down. Learn of the green world what can be thy place... In scaled invention or true artistry,... Pull down thy vanity,... Paquin pull down! The green casque has outdone your elegance." --Ezra Pound's poem
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In alt.comp.os.windows-10 Neodome Admin wrote:
Mayayana wrote:
"Ken Blake" wrote


I'm not one of those "most people." I have a cell phone, but hardly
ever receive or make phone calls with it. I carry it for emergencies,
and, if she's expecting me, to let my wife know I'll be late.


I use it the same way. And it's not even smart.
Just a Tracphone.

Just now I drove home behind numerous people
diddling their phones. It's become a maddening,
dangerous problem. One man was driving several car
lengths behind everyone else, with his brakes on.
I finally passed him and beeped. He didn't even
look up from his phone. And it wasn't a college kid.
It was a man probably close to 70. Salt and pepper,
neatly trimmed beard. Perhaps a professor.

TBH it's not the technology fault. There used to be people who were driving
and reading newspaper at the same time.

And shaving, eating, putting make ups on, having sex, etc. :P
--
Quote of the Week: "The ant's a centaur in his dragon world. Pull down thy vanity, it is not man... Made courage, or made order, or made grace,... Pull down thy vanity, I say pull down. Learn of the green world what can be thy place... In scaled invention or true artistry,... Pull down thy vanity,... Paquin pull down! The green casque has outdone your elegance." --Ezra Pound's poem
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail privately. If credit-
( ) ing, then please kindly use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.