Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#1

Post by avgDev » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:28 PM UTC

Growing up I always enjoyed tech and was excited for all the problems tech can solve and all the improvements it can make and has made in my life. However, recently I had to check-in into a doctors office using a 3rd party software and the process is incredibly worse for the patient. Normally, I walk in, tell them my name and sit down. Now on my phone, I have to enter my DOB, answer a few questions, "Accept" some consent forms every time. They will not see me if I don't use the system. Then, at the end I am greeted with an advertisement for a medication.

Another one, recently had to call comcast as they were charging my parents $70 for what they are offering for $20, I play the call of "i want to cancel it is too expensive, AT&T cheaper". They recently "improved" their phone bot and added some "amazing" features. I am saying I want to cancel service/speak to customer service, and this thing goes and tells me it is restarting my modem.......then for the next 15 minutes I cannot reach anyone at comcast because my modem is restarting, every time I call I was getting, "We are restarting your modem call us back later GOODBYE!"......I swear things like this just make me want to go live off-grid somewhere.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#2

Post by mtmail » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:46 PM UTC

The consent forms were introduced separately. If it wasn't an app you'd have to fill those out with pen&paper, they'd have to keep or scan them for permanent record.

Like your AT&T example I hate any kind of unskippable ads. Even with (real human) operators they now have to try to upsell you if it makes sense or not. And if you have time or not. Some are honest "I have to tell you about some products now"

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#3

Post by jermaustin1 » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:50 PM UTC

Your two examples are prime examples, but honestly, before the interactive phone systems, I would wait on hold for hours to talk to a person, so it has improved things a lot, but it is still SUPER aggravating and feels like a step backward.

But both of those things are only occasional inconveniences. The real place tech has made my life worse is just how completely dependent I am on it for 95% of my life. From the psychological dependence on knowing what my friends are doing, or how my crypto "investments" (read: gambles). Also needing internet connectivity to play various "single player" games even though I'm just a casual gamer and NEVER play with others.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#4

Post by ok_dad » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:51 PM UTC

Advertising. I know this is an extreme view, but I think any advertising other than a spec sheet style ad (just facts) should be banned. I feel like it steals your attention and mindshare day after day. The ads I see on TV now (rarely, as I don't watch live TV much) are just so horrible. Dripping with emotions and trying to tug on your heartstrings to sell some toilet bowl cleaner or some other garbage.

Social media. I feel like if it weren't for these algorithms that prioritize "engagement" over facts and polite content, my country would be a bit less polarized. I think that social media will turn out to be like cigarettes and someday we will discover that it has an extremely bad outcome; at least how it's implemented today. I have come to enjoy HN a bit more lately, as I just don't engage with the trolls or the horrible people that have opinions I disagree with vehemently. The people I think are horrible, at least, because it's a personal opinion, and other's might view me as a horrible person. I have also learned that it's best not to judge someone by one or two views overall, here, and that helps. I wish more social media could be like HN and allow a diverse set of opinions, but ban the name-calling and such that really take things into a bad place.

Most products today are less durable and are generally worse than "yesterday", in my opinion. Perhaps it's the old man in me coming out, with a rosy view of yesteryear, but I think that the quality of things are just lower, in general. I do think that things "look nicer" and are more consistent, but at a lower level of quality. 20 years ago, I had only 5 or so choices for any given product, maybe a curtain rod for example (because I just bought some). Today I can go down to several stores and pick from hundreds of curtain rod designs that look really nice, but half of them break after a few years or less. I still have some shitty looking but sturdy curtain rods from 20 years ago, no joke. Electronics are worse in some ways, but faster and more complex, so maybe that complexity is the source of the decrease in perceived quality. I can say that computers are way faster now, and it's easier to do many things, but I have less freedom than I had with older computers for sure.

This is just about the end of my old man rant. Thanks for listening.

"The important thing was that I had an onion on my belt..."

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#5

Post by Overtonwindow » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:57 PM UTC

Constant traceability and contact. It's getting harder, and harder to just step out of society for a while.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#6

Post by Yhippa » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:58 PM UTC

I reach for my smartphone the microsecond I have idle time. I can't read things longer than 280 characters.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#7

Post by hwers » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 4:58 PM UTC

It's not a new point but for sure tech has ruined my attention span. I was once lucky enough to get away from major needs to use tech for a few months (which I spent reading) and it really showed me how much these things affect the brain and how unfortunate it is that there seems to be near no other option than to use it because of the career arms race that you need to participate in in order not to die.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#8

Post by JamesBarney » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 5:01 PM UTC

I really miss not having a smart phone. I'd totally buy a locked down android that only had maps, sms, and calling.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#9

Post by 0des » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 5:01 PM UTC

Its hard to have a conversation when they're trained to divert their attention when their phone beeps.

Phones were a mistake, letting commoners on the internet was a big mistake. Smartphones created the era of Eternal Whatever, and there's no coming back from it.

Re: Ask HN: What things has tech made worse in your life?

#10

Post by Ottolay » Fri, Dec 10, 2021, 5:02 PM UTC

hwers wrote: post #7

It's not a new point but for sure tech has ruined my attention span. I was once lucky enough to get away from major needs to use tech for a few months (which I spent reading) and it really showed me how much these things affect the brain and how unfortunate it is that there seems to be near no other option than to use it because of the career arms race that you need to participate in in order not to die.

I wonder sometimes if I have just gotten more ADD in my middle age or if it is a general trend many struggle with today.