29
Fri, Nov
0 New Articles

Electronic Bubbles

Commentary
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Among the strollers on the streets of downtown Toronto, my hometown, you will spot many self-talkers. These people live in their own worlds, speaking and sometimes screaming incessantly to unseen friends and demons. No doubt, you've seen them in your town too. Clearly, our mental health systems have missed or failed these people. I don't want to make light of their plight--for the serious cases, their affliction is a great tragedy--but I have realized of late that the problem is not as pervasive as I originally thought.

On closer examination, I've noticed that some of these people sport earpieces. A small microphone bud hangs down from the earpiece, attached by a slender cord. As my eyes follow the cord down, I see that it is attached to one of the now ubiquitous cell phones. It seems that some of the people who I thought were severe schizophrenics are merely addicted to their communication devices.

This is often not their only addiction. For some of them, a cell phone only temporarily displaces the otherwise permanently affixed MP3 player headphones. Many of these people spend their days engulfed in electronic bubbles that shut out the rest of the world.

One of the problems that I have with this is that there are some sounds that you do not want to block out. For example, I want to hear a honking horn when I absentmindedly step into the path of an oncoming car. And if a gorgeous woman points to me and says, "You're a hunk! I want to bear your child," I want to hear that too. I've waited futilely my whole life to hear that. It's not likely to happen to someone who, like me, never really lost his baby fat or achieved full adult height, and especially unlikely now that I am almost certainly past the midpoint of my life, but, hey, you never know.

The protective electronic bubble is not just aural. What could be so important in anyone's life that I have to take considerable evasive actions in order to avoid being bumped into by someone walking on the sidewalk, oblivious to all around him, while he checks and sends messages on his BlackBerry?

Text messaging, instant messaging, email, voice mail, and even the plain old telephone increasingly substitute for face-to-face encounters. I contend that these are, at best, exceptionally weak substitutes. None of them--least of all text messaging, instant messaging, and email--come close to the communication and interpersonal richness of looking directly into someone's eyes as you talk to them. There are picture phones and video conferencing, but a picture with a field of vision of someone else's choosing, whether that picture is full motion or still and regardless of how many pixels of resolution it may have, just isn't the same. What's more, a firm handshake or, when politically correct and socially acceptable, a platonic hug between consenting adults can dramatically enhance the experience. (Author's note: While I don't have the slightest moral or social qualms about it, I've never been comfortable with the male-to-male hugging thing. It's just one of my many neuroses. If we do meet, please excuse me if I seem standoffish.)

It's not just our personal relationships. We shop online, ensuring that we will, heaven forbid, never actually have to talk to a shopkeeper. Store owners are largely to blame for this. When was the last time that you dealt with someone who deserved the title "shopkeeper," with all of its connotations of a person who truly cares about his or her shop and treats customers with respect and warmth? Today, the person who "helps" you in a store is probably a minimum wage worker who knows little about the store's stock, has only a passing interest in whether or not you shop there, and would much rather be somewhere else, anywhere else. Truth be told, I reluctantly have to admit that I welcome online shopping as a way of avoiding being greeted by a store greeter. You know that they aren't really there to welcome or help you. They're there because the store doesn't trust you in the least and wants a pair of eyes to discourage you from shoplifting.

Where will this electronic disconnect end? How about a universal communication device permanently implanted in our ears--both ears so that we can get stereo reception--and eye implants to flash pictures directly to the brain. The artificial eyes and ears would use Bluetooth or some other wireless option to connect to our phones, MP3 players, computers, televisions, and any other device that we may want to talk or listen to. That way, we could connect to anyone anywhere in the world without having to risk coming within a country mile of them or, perish the thought, come in physical contact with them.

Of course, once we get the implants, while we could connect electronically with anybody, there would be no escaping it. Ironically, our avoidance of proximity would make it more difficult, or certainly rude, to evade electronic contact. Another problem is that the electromagnetic waves from our eye and ear implants will probably totally fry our brains. I think that's a wee bit too steep a price to pay for progress. As many readers will no doubt attest, I can't afford to lose any of my brain cells.

Joel Klebanoff is a consultant, a writer, and president of Klebanoff Associates, Inc., a Toronto, Canada-based marketing communications firm. Joel has 25 years experience working in IT, first as a programmer/analyst and then as a marketer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and an MBA, both from the University of Toronto. Contact Joel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Given the way he feels about many communication technologies, if you see him talking to himself on the street, he probably really is talking to himself.

Joel Klebanoff

Joel Klebanoff is a consultant, writer, and formerly president of Klebanoff Associates, Inc., a Toronto-based marketing communications firm. He has 30 years' experience in various IT capacities and now specializes in writing articles, white papers, and case studies for IT vendors and publications across North America. Joel is also the author of BYTE-ing Satire, a compilation of a year's worth of his columns. He holds a BS in computer science and an MBA, both from the University of Toronto.


MC Press books written by Joel Klebanoff available now on the MC Press Bookstore.

BYTE-ing Satire BYTE-ing Satire
Find out the hilarious answer to the eternal question: "Is technology more hindrance than help?"
List Price $14.95

Now On Sale

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: