Electronics Destroys Human Interaction
1-22-23
Pizza maker, Little Caesars, makes a pretty good pizza at a good price. In 2022 I would be able to call them to order a five-dollar pizza and they’d have it ready for me when I got there.
Today is different.
I looked up the pizza place online and when trying to see prices, their website automatically wanted me to place an order before seeing how much it would cost. I tried several times filling out the order form online but couldn’t find a simple sausage pizza.
I called the local location. The young girl told me to get the $7.99 price advertised I had to order online. I asked if she could take my order over the phone to get that price.
She said no.
Went back online to order but stopped when the order form demanded my e-mail address. That only irritates me as in the past I’ve sought out information only to receive countless spam e-mails. Publisher’s Clearing House in recent times has sent my Bride over 1,200 messages, alluding she could be eligible to win by “entering” through their website. I go through the links and each and every time, when clicking on what is supposed to be a contest entry, it is indeed, a link to buy things or play casino games; no prizes won.
Recently I ordered a car part from Star Ride Auto Parts; an outfit in New York City. I had placed the order over the phone but would have to go into my e-mail to see the invoice. I ordered it on Jan. 4 and received text messages telling me that it was held up because the man that took the order had a family emergency.
This was followed some days later by a text message telling me their truck was in an accident and that was the reason for the delay. Now, no one there answers the phone or e-mails.
Ordering a skin care product from Skincell confused me, and when ordering I saw an offer for less than $50 a bottle. I ordered, not being able to see the price unless I ordered first. I had inadvertently ordered five bottles and while still on the order page, immediately hit the “Chat” link to get the order cancelled. The person on the other end refused the cancellation.
Now, days after I received a message the item has shipped, a tracking number search shows me the product they say “shipped” is sitting in their New Jersey warehouse.
In recent years dealing with healthcare providers has presented the same obstacles; people not answering the phone and not responding to a message left with them.
Use of electronics has not only allowed businesses to reduce staff; it has generated a system of using electronics to basically tender poor service. When I see something at Staples online but when going to purchase the item, the price is higher. A Staples employee told me the online company is different than the brick-and-mortar store, despite the website showing the quantify in stock at that location.
I go to Labcorp for a blood draw. I have to use a kiosk to sign in because they save money by eliminating a human to interact with. On this day the kiosk does not work for me so I have to go to the window anyway. The very elderly people trying to use this device is sad.
Calling the VA distributor for hearing aid supplies. I am encouraged to use an electronic device to order. As with every medical office, the recording tells me they are “experiencing extremely high call volume,” meaning they won’t hire enough people to answer the phone. After being on hold for over eight minutes, I hear the machine tell me the wait time is over 1 hour. After ten minutes I hang up; giving them exactly what they want and pushing me to order electronically.
I still am getting e-mails from McAfee and BestBuy, indicating I am being charged hundreds of dollars for virus software and a Geek Squad membership, totaling over $700. Nice try!
With people driving like idiots while looking at their cell phones, people not talking to each other in a doctor’s office since everyone is staring at an electronic device, you wonder just how much worse the electronic world will destroy human interaction. I can wait. The Echo Dot and Alexa are systems built into electronic devices to monitor you in your home. Watch out, kids say the darndest things! But, to top off this writing, consider this:
“Your TV is spying on you, but you can stop it”
Keep your family safe with these tips to stop your television from spying on you
Many smart TVs come equipped with cameras most people don’t realize are there. There’s not much you can do short of voiding the device’s warranty and removing it yourself. You could cover it up, but who wants electrical tape on their television screen?
Start with your smart TV’s tracking features — especially Automatic Content Recognition (ACR).
What is ACR and how do you turn it off? It’s a visual recognition feature that can identify every ad, TV show or movie you’re playing on your TV. This includes streaming boxes, cable/over-the-air TV and even DVD and Blu-ray players.
This data is collected and used for marketing and targeted advertising purposes. If this all sounds too creepy, there are ways to turn it off. The exact methods will depend on your TV’s brand.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/tv-is-spying-you-you-can-stop
The greatest upheaval in America and its addiction to electronic things is the use of voting tabulating machines, criminally doctored in five battleground states to illegally put Joe Biden in the White House. They did it right in front of the country and no one with enough political clout can do anything about it. Expect all of this to worsen while a Democrat stinks up the White House.
1-24-23 Update:
I get a text message on my phone from Little Caesars with a link to online ordering. This could only happen if the company recorded my phone number when I attempted to order to provide them text messaging opportunities. I will respond unkindly.