Human Computers

       Jim Fallows' interview with Michael Jones, a chief technology advocate at Google, focuses on past and future progression of the concept of mapping. With the introduction of new technologies such as Keyhole and Google Maps, the map has transformed from a stationary object into an interactive technology, which one can hold in the palm of their hand. With Google Maps on handheld devices, users can never be lost with immediate access to local roads, restaurants, hotels, and even satellite images of the area. With the introduction of the new Google application Field Trip, Michael Jones suggests that one will also never be alone in their travels. Field Trip turns your phone into a travel companion or local tour guide of your current area. Essentially, the phone tells the user when coming near important landmarks or restaurants with the remarkable power of remembering which things the user cares about. Jones claims the application makes “your life enlightened by travel knowledge, everywhere, or getting to walk around with local experts who know your tastes, wherever in the world you go”. However, I believe these sorts of technologies come with negative consequences such as taking away from the traditional human experience of traveling. As Turkle mentions in regard to her daughter traveling in Paris, our constant interaction with technology takes away from the true experience of being disconnected and immersed into a foreign area (156). This concept made me wonder what other human experiences are compromised by our constant interaction with technology.  

       As Jones claims in the interview: “people are about 20 IQ points smarter now because of Google Search and Maps”. Yet, Jones also says without access to these technologies “they feel like a fifth of their brain has been taken out”. Although, Jones’ statement implies that Google has had a positive effect on the human learning process, his statement also suggests this increase in IQ comes with complete reliance on these technologies, leaving users impaired without them. I have personally found that people have become far too reliant on constant access to technology, consequently taking away from ones ability to process and remember the information themselves. Essentially, the reliance on instant information results in people being dominated by their short-term memory. For instance, why should one commit to remembering certain information when it can be reached by a simple Google search? As a student, one can answer questions by quickly looking up the answers online. Yet when later forced to answer similar questions on a test without access to technology, it becomes apparent that one never truly learned the information.

       Another personal example that conveys the same principle is my reliance on Google maps for directions. Anytime I drive to a new place, I use Google Maps on my phone to provide directions; however, even after multiple times driving to the same place, I find myself still relying on my phone for directions instead of learning the route myself. In conclusion, as technology continues to develop, humans are becoming increasingly dependent on their devices, and with the future progressively moving toward “always on, always on you” technologies, I wonder how this relationship will take away from the human experience and perhaps the human itself.