Technology and Physical Human Interaction

[FactualFrank]

The Burnley Express thread made me have a think about how the Internet and Technology is changing the world we live in, and a big part of that is human interaction - or lack of it. We can process things now without actually seeing and interacting with another human. Here's just 5 things we could expect to see in the future. Feel free to add your own.

• When you top up your car fuel/electric, there will no longer be any shops that you can walk into and pay by cash. The only option will be to pay by card/phone and drive off. You won't see any shop assistant.
• Physical supermarkets that you walk into, walk down the aisle and put things in your basket, will no longer exist. And before then, supermarket counter assistants will disappear and it will be all self checkouts. Then you'll have to buy it online and your shopping will be delivered via drone - delivery vans/jobs will be no more, other than the people flying the drones.
• Highstreet stores will be gone. Shops are closing down weekly, and eventually there won't be any. Everything will be bought online and then, as above delivered by drone
• With virtual reality, face to face socialising will drop and instead of going out to meet friends, you'll just pop your VR headset on and go to a virtual pub or go for a virtual walk
• People will go on holiday less - they won't need to. They can sit in their boxers and go for a virtual reality walk along the Great Wall of China and see the scenery without actually being there

All of the above happens to some degree, but in 30 years time, seeing another human could become quite a rarity.

[jdrobbo]

Good post.

I noticed recently that Esso garages have introduced a pay at the pump App.

I just can’t imagine supermarkets being 100% self-service. The system is too flawed. Maybe in ten years we’ll be at 75% self service.

[Bosscat]

All of the above happens to some degree, but in 30 years time, seeing another human could become quite a rarity.[/quote]

Might be a good thing in some cases

[cricketfieldclarets]

The one that gets me most is ipads in mcdonalds... I suppose its only likr mobile phones in nandos.

Tbh technology is great. But its also **** in so many ways. You cant go anywhere or do anything now without someone snapchatting it. (Why anyone would want snapchat is beyond me).

We are almost all guilty of using it too much. To the point it actually dumbs people down.

We have a 'rule' in our house though. Eat at the table. No phones at the table. No phones in the bedroom. Get out the house at least once a day without the phones.

Little things. And all help stay in the real world. And I find if I do any of them, especially using your phone in bed it definitely affects sleep.

Its definitely a hard balance. Especially working in technology. But switching off is definitely worth it.

Todays generation amd future ones are going to struggle to interact more than ever. And its not just the younger generation.

[Dyched]

It’ll all come to a stop of some sorts imho.

Vinyl sales are increasing
Film Photography is increasing
Mortion Picture film is increasing

VAR is the saddest thing Ive ever seen. Really?

[cricketfieldclarets]

All of the above happens to some degree, but in 30 years time, seeing another human could become quite a rarity.

Might be a good thing in some cases [/quote]
definitely

[Pstotto]

We live in the most perverted times in the history of mankind, where the governments of each country seek to actively control and mind-program their populace to a waking vegetative state in the name of screwing them all as they comply to electronic signalling and the edit/cut.strobe/excite dysfunctionality of the subliminal disordering, incurring at nano-second speed into the psyche with each ad 'dropping' on to one's web pages etc.

The attempted replacement of paper media with electronic media is an attempt at full control of others, where one has a mediated experience of reality as opposed to a natural experience of it i.e. electronic pulses affecting the brainwaves of the subconscious telling one how to be to each item for digestion.

It is the sickest era more sick than Nazi Germany.

One hopes that the novelty of technology and our baby states in tandem with it (humanity has being around for say 10 million years and one might be only 40 years old in relation to that,) will move on to a more enlightened age where the dangers of the computer graphic 'superhuman' condition is managed according not to how can one destroy the self with it, but how can it be subservient to the self.

Right now it is mastering us, because the state wants mastery over us, as a complete insult to the intelligence and creativity and humanity of everyone alive.

[CombatClaret]

People will go on holiday less - they won't need to. They can sit in their boxers and go for a virtual reality walk along the Great Wall of China and see the scenery without actually being there

The last one is the only one I don't see happening, the more people are exposed to these great sights the more they want to experience them in person.
'Wanderlust' is a catchy term thrown around in marketing 'the urge to travel', spurred on by instagram photos of people stood on mountaintops or feet poking out of a tent somewhere.
The traditional Thomas Cook package is dying as younger people are seeking more authentic experiences, now with AirBnB and such you're not limited to the hotel resort.

New terms and businesses are being invented for the digital generations who are seeking things in the real world.
Take a look at the Experience Economy, tough mudder, secret cinema. All these things just take everyday stuff like exercise or a movie and turn it into an experience, one that can be collectively shared in person and online.

I think it's also worth noting the same things were said in the 70s when the ATM was introduced, the most successful robot in history and responsible for hundreds of thousands of bank clark jobs disappearing.

Edit:

Highstreet stores will be gone. Shops are closing down weekly, and eventually there won't be any. Everything will be bought online and then, as above delivered by drone

This one too as in part shopping is an 'experience' people enjoy. But multi brand retail (House of Fraser, Comet, JJB, Woolworths etc) is struggling. But buying nice things is aspirational particularly when it comes to brands. Single brand stores will remain as they provide a place to look at, touch and aspire to the identity of that brand eg: Apple, Ugg etc

[Burnley1989]

The last one is the only one I don't see happening, the more people are exposed to these great sights the more they want to experience them in person.
'Wanderlust' is a catchy term thrown around in marketing 'the urge to travel', spurred on by instagram photos of people stood on mountaintops or feet poking out of a tent somewhere.
The traditional Thomas Cook package is dying as younger people are seeking more authentic experiences, now with AirBnB and such you're not limited to the hotel resort.

New terms and businesses are being invented for the digital generations who are seeking things in the real world.
Take a look at the Experience Economy, tough mudder, secret cinema. All these things just take everyday stuff like exercise or a movie and turn it into an experience, one that can be collectively shared in person and online.

I think it's also worth noting the same things were said in the 70s when the ATM was introduced, the most successful robot in history and responsible for hundreds of thousands of bank clark jobs disappearing.

I sell virtual reality for a living and as great as it is as an aid, it won’t replace the real thing

[cricketfieldclarets]

The last one is the only one I don't see happening, the more people are exposed to these great sights the more they want to experience them in person.
'Wanderlust' is a catchy term thrown around in marketing 'the urge to travel', spurred on by instagram photos of people stood on mountaintops or feet poking out of a tent somewhere.
The traditional Thomas Cook package is dying as younger people are seeking more authentic experiences, now with AirBnB and such you're not limited to the hotel resort.

New terms and businesses are being invented for the digital generations who are seeking things in the real world.
Take a look at the Experience Economy, tough mudder, secret cinema. All these things just take everyday stuff like exercise or a movie and turn it into an experience, one that can be collectively shared in person and online.

I think it's also worth noting the same things were said in the 70s when the ATM was introduced, the most successful robot in history and responsible for hundreds of thousands of bank clark jobs disappearing.

Edit:


This one too as in part shopping is an 'experience' people enjoy. But multi brand retail (House of Fraser, Comet, JJB, Woolworths etc) is struggling. But buying nice things is aspirational particularly when it comes to brands. Single brand stores will remain as they provide a place to look at, touch and aspire to the identity of that brand eg: Apple, Ugg etc

Agree entirely on both points. Holidays to me HAVE to include an element of if not entirely an adventure. Looking at pictures inspires you to go. But being there, experiencing, seeing, hearing and tasting it all is what its all about. Not to mention the weather.

Same with shopping. I hate ordering online. Either looks, feels or fits completely different. Sometimes even the same brand has different fits in the same size!

[SammyBoy]

Interaction is a fairly broad term and I think it's important to distinguish between the different types. Personally, I'm all for anything that saves time and idle small talk, so I use self scan checkouts, petrol stations and have no problems ordering clothes online. However, with regards to my friends and family I'd much rather see them in person, and don't see the point doing it via devices and social media. In fact I feel loads better since I deleted Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat (never had Instagram). It's refreshing to no longer get bombarded by dross spouted by people I barely know. In fact the only 'socialising' online I do now is on here.

[FactualFrank]

Interaction is a fairly broad term and I think it's important to distinguish between the different types.

The OP should make it pretty clear that it's physical interaction. But I've edited the title.

[piston broke]

The world has gone backwards since the 80s and the mass production of mobile phones and internet.
I feel really lucky to have had my time when I did and am now just winding down, worry free.

[CombatClaret]

The world has gone backwards since the 80s and the mass production of mobile phones and internet.
I feel really lucky to have had my time when I did and am now just winding down, worry free.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declinism" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This forum should be listed in the references.

[Hipper]

Supermarkets and cars have replaced public transport and 'counter' shops.

Radio, television etc. have virtually eliminated the home sing-song, story telling and the like.

In other words, the reduction in physical human interaction as been happening for a hundred years or more.

On the other hand, letter writing, telephones and now the internet have increased communication beyond our own home/village etc..

How many past generations have said 'stop the world, I want to get off'?

Adapt and embrace the new possibilities, and keep what you wish from past ways.

I suppose I'm not the only one to see some people walking down the road not talking to each other but each talking to their phone to someone who knows where.

[tim_noone]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declinism

This forum should be listed in the references.

Read all that link very interesting food for thought and true.this forum is in the main marmite.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

".......I suppose I'm not the only one to see some people walking down the road not talking to each other but each talking to their phone to someone who knows where."

Come on, Hipper, you and I both know that they are actually talking to each other on their phone whilst walking down the road together.

[Hipper]

It’ll all come to a stop of some sorts imho.

Vinyl sales are increasing
Film Photography is increasing
Mortion Picture film is increasing

VAR is the saddest thing Ive ever seen. Really?

These are all minority activities though, aren't they?

Digital has opened up possibilities for so many more in all these fields.

Vinyl sales in the UK are a tenth of CD sales and streaming is the biggest.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... wo-decades" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hipper]

".......I suppose I'm not the only one to see some people walking down the road not talking to each other but each talking to their phone to someone who knows where."

Come on, Hipper, you and I both know that they are actually talking to each other on their phone whilst walking down the road together.

There was a poser on a train once who thought he was 'something', talking away on his phone. Then the phone rang!!!!!

[Pstotto]

They have programs on TV 'killers in the home.' Brain cancer apparently for all 4G phone users and wireless connectivity.

[tim_noone]

The world has gone backwards since the 80s and the mass production of mobile phones and internet.
I feel really lucky to have had my time when I did and am now just winding down, worry free.

I remember two Events of the very early sixties....Hapton Valley pit disaster the news was relayed around stoneyholme by word of mouth by a surviving miner...as there were fatalities from the area,the youngest being 16,Peter T. I was only 8 and and had never known of Anyone dying...and the Second was President Kennedy being assasinated when i was ten.that news beamed into the house by the black and white TV. technology reaching the masses....so to a degree back then you were protected or unaware of disasters and death etc. Bad news didnt travel so fast then.you knew though if somebodys curtains were drawn at lunchtime someone had probably Died.people now are bombarded with bad news via The internet TV newspapers and mobile phones which has obviously impacted on society and not for the better in most cases.

[cricketfieldclarets]

I remember two Events of the very early sixties....Hapton Valley pit disaster the news was relayed around stoneyholme by word of mouth by a surviving miner...as there were fatalities from the area,the youngest being 16,Peter T. I was only 8 and and had never known of Anyone dying...and the Second was President Kennedy being assasinated when i was ten.that news beamed into the house by the black and white TV. technology reaching the masses....so to a degree back then you were protected or unaware of disasters and death etc. Bad news didnt travel so fast then.you knew though if somebodys curtains were drawn at lunchtime someone had probably Died.people now are bombarded with bad news via The internet TV newspapers and mobile phones which has obviously impacted on society and not for the better in most cases.

Spot on. No news in the morning and no news before bed. And pretty much no news at all these days.

[Pstotto]

I've been got by aliens and alien technology. I won't tell you what it is, but I've just been reading about it on the web and it's exactly what I'm suffering. It's sounds cookie, obviously I didn't write the web pages but having read them this morning it's EXACTLY what my problem is. Scary ****, but I fight on. I've even got a brand mark on the back of my neck, which is a geometric symbol.

Happy days! You've got to laugh or else you'll cry.

[houseboy]

The Burnley Express thread made me have a think about how the Internet and Technology is changing the world we live in, and a big part of that is human interaction - or lack of it. We can process things now without actually seeing and interacting with another human. Here's just 5 things we could expect to see in the future. Feel free to add your own.

• When you top up your car fuel/electric, there will no longer be any shops that you can walk into and pay by cash. The only option will be to pay by card/phone and drive off. You won't see any shop assistant.
• Physical supermarkets that you walk into, walk down the aisle and put things in your basket, will no longer exist. And before then, supermarket counter assistants will disappear and it will be all self checkouts. Then you'll have to buy it online and your shopping will be delivered via drone - delivery vans/jobs will be no more, other than the people flying the drones.
• Highstreet stores will be gone. Shops are closing down weekly, and eventually there won't be any. Everything will be bought online and then, as above delivered by drone
• With virtual reality, face to face socialising will drop and instead of going out to meet friends, you'll just pop your VR headset on and go to a virtual pub or go for a virtual walk
• People will go on holiday less - they won't need to. They can sit in their boxers and go for a virtual reality walk along the Great Wall of China and see the scenery without actually being there

All of the above happens to some degree, but in 30 years time, seeing another human could become quite a rarity.

If all this comes about (and it could to a degree) then you can wave bye bye to your car, your holidays, your trips to the supermarket (real or virtual) or anything else that 'costs' because we'll have no money due to us all being out of work. The reason I don't think technology will ever completely take over is because businesses require customers and customers have to have money and to get money you have to have a job and to have a job there has to be jobs available and if everything is given over to technology there will be hardly any jobs.

If we became completely over run by technology we would have to work out a totally different way of living, socially and economically. Forget capitalism, that requires people to have disposable incomes in order to buy goods and services and the laboour market would have completely collapsed. Socialism/Comunism, although more likely to survive based on the equality of the impoverished, would also struggle because of the difficulty with what would be the ever more rich and increasingly fewer wealthy. I don't know what political system would replace anything we have now because the world has, for hundreds of years, been based on labour (slave or otherwise) and investment by the few. The 'few' will still be able to invest but how would all this technology be paid for if no one has any disposable income as such? Could we have a system whereby the wealthy few are so wealthy that they have to sustain a nation by incredibly high taxation in order to pay the equivalent of a decent living wage via some form of social security payment to maybe 90% of the population just to provide a customer base? Maybe then their high taxation would be offset by the beneficiaries of said social security paying for the goods and services they provide? It would be a completely topsy turvy system to what we have now I suppose but I would be interested to know what others think would happen.

The fact is we need to start thinking in these terms now because technology is advancing at such a rate that the only way to economically sustain an almost completely technological society is to massively reduce populations and at the moment that can only mean a very major war or a man made virus to cull the human population.

[Chobulous]

It’ll all come to a stop of some sorts imho.

E. M. Forster said that as far back as 1909 in "The Machine stops", you should read it.

[Chobulous]

I remember two Events of the very early sixties....Hapton Valley pit disaster the news was relayed around stoneyholme by word of mouth by a surviving miner...as there were fatalities from the area,the youngest being 16,Peter T. I was only 8 and and had never known of Anyone dying...and the Second was President Kennedy being assasinated when i was ten.that news beamed into the house by the black and white TV. technology reaching the masses....so to a degree back then you were protected or unaware of disasters and death etc. Bad news didnt travel so fast then.you knew though if somebodys curtains were drawn at lunchtime someone had probably Died.people now are bombarded with bad news via The internet TV newspapers and mobile phones which has obviously impacted on society and not for the better in most cases.

I was playing playing football (cuppies) on Burleigh Street in Stoneyholme with 2 mates, John Derbyshire and Steven Lonsdale, when we found out about Kennedy 2 weeks after my 10th birthday. People were coming out of their houses to pass on the news. I also remember someone knocking on doors on Gordon Street passing on the news about Hapton Valley.

[Dougall]

I was playing playing football (cuppies) on Burleigh Street in Stoneyholme with 2 mates, John Derbyshire and Steven Lonsdale, when we found out about Kennedy 2 weeks after my 10th birthday. People were coming out of their houses to pass on the news. I also remember someone knocking on doors on Gordon Street passing on the news about Hapton Valley.

So Chobulous and Tim Noone were neighbours of similar age and never met until the wonder that is the world wide interweb (and Up The Clarets) was invented?!

[Chobulous]

So Chobulous and Tim Noone were neighbours of similar age and never met until the wonder that is the world wide interweb (and Up The Clarets) was invented?!

That of course is not likely to be true, because I don't know is real name and he doesn't know mine. We may well have been friends or enemies or, knowing the way kids of that age are, both at one time or another. That is the world of the interweb, keyboard anonymity.

[Dougall]

Only joking, Chobulous!
But given that I grew up on the other side of Duke Bar (near Heasandford School) and was only 7 in 1963, both you and Tim Noone were:
a) Foreigners, and
b) 'Big Lads'
I'd have been very wary of both of you !!

[tim_noone]

That of course is not likely to be true, because I don't know is real name and he doesn't know mine. We may well have been friends or enemies or, knowing the way kids of that age are, both at one time or another. That is the world of the interweb, keyboard anonymity.

I'd have said friends....probably in same class. I remember john Derbyshire and played football on the garages along with the off licence dog was it "meg". I'm mr mac I'm guessing your mr gill ? :Or possibly mr sturdy.

[claptrappers_union]

In regards to holidays and enjoying a foreign country from the comfort of you own living room using VR, I think the opposite. I once watched an interview with Richard Branson talking about his Virgin Galactic plans. He explained that if you go high enough, you travel above the spinning Earth and then you can come back down somewhere else, what we consider far away... He said, we could in theory, enjoy a long weekend in Sydney. I think they'll be much more affordable International travel.

I predict in the next 20 years, we won't own cars, but subscribe to a service like a driverless Uber which picks you up and drops you off. When you get out, it just drives off to its next job. No more car parks, nothing on our driveways. It'll be easy to order one, because they will be everywhere and with you after only a few minutes wait.

I don't know what it will mean for cars we own today though, they will be worthless, unless there's a government scheme that buys them from us. I don't think the 'Manual' Electric Car will have a long future. you'll still have your petrolheads and car enthusiasts on the road, but they'll be a rarity.

Supermarkets will be a thing of the past, eggs, milk groceries will coming to your door will be the norm. Everything will arrive by courier, any time during the day within hours of ordering.

No plastic either. Single use plastic items will be things of the past, and pointless tangible objects like cheap children's toys and food packaging will leave future generations scratching their heads on they we thought it was acceptable to mass produce so much meaningless stuff that couldn't be recycled.

I think they'll be many more vegetarians too. Its getting quite normal now, but I think in 20 years the vegetarian option on a restaurant menu won't be a choice of a few dishes, as it is now... in fact, eating meat might even be a taboo?

[Chobulous]

I'd have said friends....probably in same class. I remember john Derbyshire and played football on the garages along with the off licence dog was it "meg". I'm mr mac I'm guessing your mr gill ? :Or possibly mr sturdy.

Mr. Longworth probably at the opposite side of Brougham Street to you if you played footie at the Garages. The School yard was our football ground. Marathon games on Saturdays and Sundays.

[tim_noone]

Mr. Longworth probably at the opposite side of Brougham Street to you if you played footie at the Garages. The School yard was our football ground. Marathon games on Saturdays and Sundays.

The name rings a bell 'steven'? Football was the order of the day or egging back then up towards halfmoon field or pendle bottoms..always sunny days looking back! Plenty of human interaction back then never seen as many kids.

[Chobulous]

The name rings a bell 'steven'? Football was the order of the day or egging back then up towards halfmoon field or pendle bottoms..always sunny days looking back! Plenty of human interaction back then never seen as many kids.

Stephen is m younger brother, so is Alan. The lads you mentioned I'm guessing are either Keith Sturdy and Les Gill or Dave Sturdy and Pete Gill.

[tim_noone]

Stephen is m younger brother, so is Alan. The lads you mentioned I'm guessing are either Keith Sturdy and Les Gill or Dave Sturdy and Pete Gill.

Aye...

[dsr]

In regards to holidays and enjoying a foreign country from the comfort of you own living room using VR, I think the opposite. I once watched an interview with Richard Branson talking about his Virgin Galactic plans. He explained that if you go high enough, you travel above the spinning Earth and then you can come back down somewhere else, what we consider far away... He said, we could in theory, enjoy a long weekend in Sydney. I think they'll be much more affordable International travel.

I predict in the next 20 years, we won't own cars, but subscribe to a service like a driverless Uber which picks you up and drops you off. When you get out, it just drives off to its next job. No more car parks, nothing on our driveways. It'll be easy to order one, because they will be everywhere and with you after only a few minutes wait.

I don't know what it will mean for cars we own today though, they will be worthless, unless there's a government scheme that buys them from us. I don't think the 'Manual' Electric Car will have a long future. you'll still have your petrolheads and car enthusiasts on the road, but they'll be a rarity.

Supermarkets will be a thing of the past, eggs, milk groceries will coming to your door will be the norm. Everything will arrive by courier, any time during the day within hours of ordering.

No plastic either. Single use plastic items will be things of the past, and pointless tangible objects like cheap children's toys and food packaging will leave future generations scratching their heads on they we thought it was acceptable to mass produce so much meaningless stuff that couldn't be recycled.

I think they'll be many more vegetarians too. Its getting quite normal now, but I think in 20 years the vegetarian option on a restaurant menu won't be a choice of a few dishes, as it is now... in fact, eating meat might even be a taboo?

Interesting ideas. I don't think the car one will come true, though. In general today, people's car choices are more based on what they want rather than what they cost; otherwise, everyone would buy second hand Astras and save a fortune. Why do some people pay more per year to lease a car than I do to buy mine outright? Because they put a lot more value on the pure pleasure of driving than I do. And they still will.

The other problem with driverless Ubers is, where do I keep my coat? Do I have to carry it everywhere? What about binoculars, sweets, reading book, map, CDs, tie, all the other junk I keep in my car? There isn't enough money to be saved to make me think giving up a car and taking driverless taxis would do.

[aggi]

Interesting ideas. I don't think the car one will come true, though. In general today, people's car choices are more based on what they want rather than what they cost; otherwise, everyone would buy second hand Astras and save a fortune. Why do some people pay more per year to lease a car than I do to buy mine outright? Because they put a lot more value on the pure pleasure of driving than I do. And they still will.

The other problem with driverless Ubers is, where do I keep my coat? Do I have to carry it everywhere? What about binoculars, sweets, reading book, map, CDs, tie, all the other junk I keep in my car? There isn't enough money to be saved to make me think giving up a car and taking driverless taxis would do.

I think the pool of driverless cars will happen relatively soon. I think it will end up being driven by increasing insurance costs with insurance to drive your own car on the road becoming extortionate compared to using a driverless one.

[Pstotto]

That will be the techno bubble to burst the West, it won't ever happen for the mountain passes of Peru etc. We will be the helpless spoon-fed techno-dodos if that ever comes to be.