Transcriber: Luis Almeida Reviewer: Denise RQ
Hello, my name is Luis and I am a college professor.
My job is to help the students use the computer
so that they can make a living.
I have to admit, however, that sometimes I don't like computers.
By the way, this talk isn't to say that you shouldn't have one,
that would be very impractical.
But what I am trying to say is
that computers, like anything else, have side effects
and it's quite possible
that these side effects are ruining your life.
How often do you shut your computer off?
How often do you put your cell phone on silent mode?
Now, why would anyone in their right minds do that, right?
Computers are supposed to make our lives better.
Have you ever felt withdrawn, depressed, burned-out
after using the computer?
Are you even aware of how the computer makes you feel?
My research in this topic is very personal.
A couple of years ago, I was so burned-out because of computers.
So let's talk side effects.
When interacting with a computerized device,
you run the risk of becoming computer-like yourself.
Computer-like behaviors are defined by work, productivity, efficiency,
multi-tasking, being too logical and impersonal.
In my attempts to try to understand the side effects of computing,
I decided to poll 96 students
with questions related to technology and human behavior,
and this is what I found: the majority of students like immediacy.
Seven out of ten students prefer to perform tasks quickly.
Almost 90% of the students agreed to 'I respond to commands.'
Interestingly enough, when I asked students if they were half robots
and when using the computer, the limit was mental exhaustion,
this is what they said.
Only 13% of the students said that they were half robots.
And a little over 40%, about 44%, said that when using the computer,
the limit is mental exhaustion.
Even though, 57% of them said they are always working on something.
These results are staggering.
Let's compare the good old days with today.
Just a short while ago, this used to be breakfast:
very personal, a nice time to relax and enjoy each other's company.
Today? (Laughter) Right!
No face-to-face interaction,
time is spent answering emails and messages; not very relaxing at all.
But this is how our computer behaves.
Computers are all about work, productivity, impersonality.
Work used to be reasonable.
One task at a time, reasonable deadlines, true human productivity.
Today: multi-tasking, robotic productivity,
unreasonable deadlines and demands are expected.
We are no longer nine to five, we are nine to... forever.
(Laughter)
But this is how our computer behaves.
Computers are all about work productivity, efficiency.
Our daily commute used to be a nice time to unwind.
We used to think about what we would have for dinner
or if little Johnny did his homework.
But now, we can't even wait five minutes
before we start checking our emails and messages.
But this is how our computer behaves.
Computers were born to work from forever to forever, even during standby.
Don't scoff, we are going to get there.
Our daily business used to be a safe haven from work.
(Laughter)
Read the newspaper, a magazine.
Read a book. Don't scoff, we all do it.
But now, it seems that work follows us everywhere.
And it's not just work.
It's family, friends, Facebook, Google.
We are at maxed out levels of information overload.
But this is how our computer behaves.
Computers are all about work, productivity, efficiency.
It really seems like the more a subject interacts with a computerized device,
the more computer-like they become without ever realizing.
Researchers like McLuhan, Benjamin, McGuire and others have commented on that.
I state, however, that it is only through mental exhaustion and fatigue
that subjects stop their computer-like neurotic behaviors.
Are we now half robots living a robotic life?
Are we mentally exhausting ourselves for the sake of technology?
Next time that you get your smartphone,
sit at your desk, grab that tablet and ask yourself:
is this computer making my life better?
Before you mentally exhaust yourself or burn out,
take a step back.
Thank you.
(Applause)