Technology Is Amazing?

@redurnet (1799)
United Kingdom
December 18, 2018 7:44am CST
I use a question mark in my title because although I think that technology is quite brilliant I still have some concerns about where it may lead mankind in the future. My thinking about this matter came after I had to go to my local bank. I live in a small town where all of our local branches closed down a few years ago so I have to travel at least five miles by car or public transport to get to a branch. I had a few things to do and I'd always gone to a clerk before but when I was in the bank this time an employee approached and asked me what I needed to do. When I told him he said that I could do everything by machine. He took me over to a machine which works rather like an ATM and there I could access all of my accounts. I could then feed in paper cheques and slips and get print outs and information back. I was quite astonished that I didn't need to see a real person in order to get anything done! It makes me think that technology is really a wonderful thing. At the same time I worry about people who might be left behind in a world of technology that is always changing so fast. I also worry that jobs will be lost.
17 people like this
17 responses
@maezee (41997)
• United States
18 Dec 18
I agree with you. Lots of our stores have self checkout machines but I try not to use them to keep folks in jobs. Also it makes us anti-social in my opinion.
4 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
I think you are right about that. I definitely think that technology is making us anti-social. I remember when cell phones were just coming into popularity and I went out to a sports event. Two of my family sat the whole time staring at their phones and neither watched the event nor interacted with anyone else. It was a glimpse into the future. I wish that machines didn't put people out of work too.
@JudyEv (325703)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 18
Some of these 'machines' are okay until something goes wrong. And if the guy is helping you then you might as well see a clerk. I suppose in time you may not need his help but they'd have to have someone around in case something went wrong.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325703)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec 18
@redurnet I don't like it. I'd rather talk to a 'real' person.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
That's true, I think it's important to have real people there just in case. All of my local banks have hardly any tellers now though and seem to have a floating member of staff there on the floor to encourage people to use the machines.
2 people like this
• Valdosta, Georgia
18 Dec 18
I get quite concerned about jobs being lost due to machines as well. I refuse to use self check outs for this reason. People need to work and feed their families. Technology can be a blessing and a curse at the same time.
3 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
It is a concern that people are losing jobs to technology. There seem to be pros and cons to those self checkouts. One of my local stores had them but so many people were abusing them that they removed them. They replaced them with an aisle but didn't employ anymore staff to man the checkout so now there are longer queues.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
18 Dec 18
I worry about technology going wrong, as often happens. I don’t care for the fact that so many people are losing their livelihoods due to technology.
2 people like this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
20 Dec 18
@redurnet Exactly!
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
I worry about that too. I sometimes think of movie scenarios where computers malfunction and the world goes into meltdown. I hope that we aren't growing so quickly that we can't handle what we have created.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Dec 18
Not to mention how tech invades our privacy like never before and opened up a world of tech crime where a hacker can wipe us out financially in a second.
3 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
That is a huge fear of mine. I've been a victim of fraud and a couple of family members have also been victims of fraud. I hope security gets a lot better soon.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65282)
• Serbia
18 Dec 18
Technology has its advantages, but it also has defects.
2 people like this
@Nevena83 (65282)
• Serbia
18 Dec 18
@playertwo I believe you.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
It is a two sided coin, indeed. I wonder where we will be in 100 years time with technology.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65282)
• Serbia
19 Dec 18
@redurnet I never thought about it.
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
18 Dec 18
I`m also worried about the jobs too I hope that technology is made to help but not to replace peoples work
2 people like this
• Germany
20 Dec 18
@redurnet I`m sure there are still ways to help open up a new jobs
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
It seems to be going that way, unfortunately. I can only hope that there ends up being new jobs created as society adapts more to newer technologies.
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
19 Dec 18
A lot of tech is putting people out of work
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
26 Dec 18
@redurnet nor the machines to interact with us
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
22 Dec 18
That's true. I hate to see staff reductions and not all of us are ready to interact with machines.
1 person likes this
@skysnap (20154)
18 Dec 18
It's interesting to see changing things around. Lot of new things to learn.
2 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
It is eye opening to see how much mankind has advanced thinking about the giant leaps in just the last hundred years or so. It's almost unbelievable that we went for thousands of years and then had this sudden spike where we have created all this technology.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
18 Dec 18
yeah. technology can be great at times, but dangerous too. My bank still have tellers.
2 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
AI worries me a little bit. All of these science fiction movies I've seen where technology becomes sentient seems a real possibility.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
18 Dec 18
Those things always floor me...I see these big machines even here. I prefer going to a person
2 people like this
• India
19 Dec 18
@playertwo I know, however I have a secret weapon to deal with bank affairs when I do go...And I use that
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
I think I trust a person more to do things the right way but sometimes I dislike people who have a bad attitude.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Feb 19
I agree with you. When me and my wife went to Walmart, we saw self serve cashier booths(Don't know if I got the correct name). They are looking, also, into cars and vehicles that drive themselves. Yes, Technology may be a blessing in some areas but it is a curse in other areas.
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
22 Feb 19
Yes, often when I use those self serve booths they malfunction and a real person has to come over and reset the machine. I think I'd be happy to have or use a driverless car, maybe the roads would be safer - but again people would lose their jobs.
1 person likes this
@Merliva (3539)
• San Marino
7 Feb 19
It's really amazing Technology You have a good point thou
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 19
Yes, ultimately it is good to be able to have access to the technology we have today.
1 person likes this
@Merliva (3539)
• San Marino
11 Feb 19
@redurnet i know right
@Moon24 (22396)
• Serbia
18 Dec 18
Techology is almost good think. I like phones, computres, ... But as you worry i worry too because of the future.
2 people like this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
19 Dec 18
It's amazing what computers can do for us nowadays. It seems strange to think of a time when we weren't all connected online.
1 person likes this
@Moon24 (22396)
• Serbia
19 Dec 18
@redurnet Strange would be a life without a computer and a mobile phone. Technology is progressing, I remember the computers 20 years ago and the phones 15 years ago. I do not think we still know what kind of phones and computers will be in the future.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
25 Jan 19
Many of us have these concerns. Imagine what our great grandparents would think if they saw what we have now.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
27 Jan 19
I sometimes think of how people from the olden days would react if they could see the changes.
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
4 Jan 19
Lots of jobs will be eliminated . . and done by robots. Well, here in Canada it is the same thing. . A bank employee approaches customers and asks if she/he can help. The bank machine can do almost everything. But being a lover of beauty, I always fall in line to say HI to my favorite pretty, smiling lady-cashier.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
10 Jan 19
A friendly face can make your day brighter, that's for sure.
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
3 Jan 19
i still miss going to the bank,being attended by bank tellers, waiting for my number to be called and give my money to the teller for deposit, and she will fill up my bankbook, or type the amount, and use the typewriter on the passbook.
1 person likes this
@redurnet (1799)
• United Kingdom
10 Jan 19
This sounds nostalgic for you.