As we all know, Siri, the new program for the Apple iPhone, allows users to interact with their iPhones. Weird? Not quite.
It’s becoming the norm to talk with your phone and refer to it as it’s a real person. In an article I read on foxnews.com, this program be more toxic psychologically than violent video games, or even some street drugs.
Siri is referred to as a “she,” and the virtural assistant to help us remind us when friends or family’s birthdays are, make a grocery list and even generate GPS directions.
In the article, the author states that Siri can be “psychologically toxic.” The story’s headline, “ iPhone’s Siri: Psychological Poison,” says it all.
It seems as technology gets more advanced over the years, games or programs like Siri or Second Life personify the computer, giving us another life to focus and update every week and even daily.
As an iPhone 4 user, if I want pizza, I’ll most likely just Google the closest place and give them a call. But go ahead and tell Siri that you want pizza, she’ll respond by telling you how many pizza restaurants she has found near you, according to the Fox News article.
Pretty crazy right?
Interacting with your phone as if it is your best friend and companion could seem a little bit creepy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great program, but yet it really can take away face-to-face communication and our own brain power to think of ways to find a pizza restaurant or look for a map to get to the movie theater on our own.
We should be able to remember our family and friends birthdays. I admit that I have forgotten before, but then again it just gives a personal reminder to remember. Write it down on your calendar, on your hand or anything. After all, we want them to remember ours… right?
All in all, the program cuts back on our human interaction with one another and can diminish the way people may respect and communicate with others, possible treating them like they are Siri, or a machine, reported the Fox News article.
It’s a fun program to use and is something to laugh at something to get annoyed with, but what else is left for us to do on our own?