April 2006
IAVOA Corner: The Times, They Are A'Changing; Computers vs Humanity: Who Will Win?
Here at IAVOA, we encompass a wide age range, from quite a few Spring Chickens to, like me, some Old Hens - with a few Roosters thrown in the mix. I'm sure that all of us use computers as our main business tool. As time has marches on, significant changes constantly offer us "new and improved" components that become smaller and smaller, yet much more high end and productive.
Some of you may recall the extreme curiosity and wariness when our local banks progressed from handwritten journals and simple machines to the amazing room-sized computers with punch cards that soon handled our finances with speed and accuracy.
A few years later, the home - or personal - computer, the PC, was developed, and the technology race was on. My first computer was the Commodore 64. Nowadays, our personal and business machines range from sleek, mini-tower desktops to tiny, fully functional handhelds. The dizzying rate of advancement in computer technology can keep our pocketbooks empty and our time full. The near addiction that some of us have with our computers can turn us into technology hermits who need a constant computer "fix" to get us through our days and nights. And, without careful watch and diligence with our time, computers can take away our sensibilities, our social graces, and even our humanity.
Have you ever invited friends or family to your home for dinner and a movie, only to have your company pop open their laptop mid-conversation? "I just need to check my email real quick," or "I just thought of something for my blog. It'll only take a second," or "I made the cutest DVD of little Susie's dance recital you've just got to see! We can watch the movie later."
In the medical arena, for years patients have complained that their physicians no longer take the time to really listen to them and seem to rush through appointments without a hands-on check of their complaints. Two of my doctors have added an annoying new element to their practices. Now, even eye contact is eliminated, and the feeling of personal care is gone. It used to be, during an office visit, that careful observation of a patient's body language would assist in an accurate diagnosis, and direct eye contact helped the patient feel important and gave a sense of medical security. Now the doctors walk in with a small laptop in their hands, already scanning your previous visit. Throughout the appointment, they sit and ask questions, all the while staring at that mini screen, their fingers click-clacking the keys. Even though they say it helps them see more patients and is efficient, it's my appointment time, and I think it's rude and inconsiderate.
Speaking of doctors and computers, there are now robots with a computer and camera mounted on top that roll through hospital corridors. A physician guides the robot with a joystick from a remote location, using the camera as his eyes. A close-up of his face is on the monitor screen. He visits his patients virtually through the camera, conversing in real time. The human touch of healing is completely eliminated.
Even the spiritual side of life is sadly being affected by computers. When I read the following actual news story, I was stunned. See what you think:
Churchgoers Get Internet Service During Service
LONDON (May 31, 2005) - British telecoms operator BT Group Pic has wired up a church in Wales to allow the congregation to hook onto local high-speed Internet connections when they want a break from the sermon.
Britain's largest fixed-line telecom operator said on Tuesday it had installed a Wi-Fi wireless network access point, known as a hotspot, in Reverend Keith Kimber's St. John's Rectory church in the city of Cardiff.
"The church has to move with the times, and I wanted to make St. John's a sanctuary for everyone, including business people with laptops and mobiles," Kimber said in a statement issued by BT. "I have no problem with people quietly sending an e-mail or surfing the Internet in church, as long as they respect the church."
All this leads me to say, keep watch over the time you spend on the computer. When you meet with current or potential clients, turn away from the screen. Look them in the eye. Acknowledge them. Give them your personal and undivided attention. Even though we are computer-based businesses, we are not computers.
When home, for the sake of your family and yourself, turn it off once in a while. And, when you go out, unless you absolutely must use it, leave your computer at home. Remember, you do have a life without computers, and the clients, family and friends you save may be your own.
