Could Technology Make Us More Honest In the Real World?
It’s a thought I’ve had many times before that was re-awakened when I saw the movie Her for the first time. It seems with things like Siri and Google Now that we are heading towards a place where we communicate with our devices through speech rather than key commands. It’s certainly a more natural way to communicate, given it’s how we spend most of our days, yet it does sacrifice some of the supposed “benefits” of typing.
The thought has crossed my mind whenever I’ve sent a message that would be questionable out loud whether speech recognition would work. There is a certain level of intimacy that typing a message allows where you don’t have to hear yourself say that personal thought. You also don’t need to necessarily see someone react to that comment and feel judged in that moment. That separation, while a perceived limitation, may actually be what allows us to share more in that moment. In theory, it provides a cushion where sharing is a more comfortable experience.
On the same note, in the movie Her, Joaquin Phoenix works for a company that writes hand written letters. Throughout the movie he is seen dictating to his computer the different letters he is writing and does not for one second seem to hesitate when saying something personal or intimate. Is this because the letters aren’t about him? Is it because he works in an office where others do the same thing? Both are logical and possible explanations for his comfort in this setting but both could miss a much bigger point. If technology requires us to speak aloud does it then force us to be more open?
If our phones or Operating Systems could guarantee 100% accuracy in speech recognition then what would typing be for? It could be viewed as the act of someone trying to hide something salacious, someone secretive. That perceived view could force people to not type at all for fear of being suspected of something, leaving people to either not say what they were thinking or save the comment for a private moment. The more interesting view, in my opinion, is that it would force or coax people into being more honest in that moment. To say what they are thinking because this new relationship with technology has made it necessary.
In this alternate universe, possibly the future, we could have people more openly communicating about the most personal details of their lives. We already see some “over-share” these things in public on phone calls but we tend to respond with discomfort. This new paradigm of communicating with technology could make that the standard mode of conversation. This would have the opposite effect we feel technology, especially social media, is having on society now where we only share the best parts of our lives. While this requires a great faith that people will release the insecurities they have about what they think the same could be said for blogging, tweeting, sharing on Facebook or any other sort of expression. If technology makes it easier, eventually we will follow it.
It’s an interesting thought, especially because it’s one that most certainly will be tested, but what do you think?
