rob pike
In my younger days, phones were a way to communicate with other people. Nowadays they are mostly a way to communicate with corporations, and that is a polite way to say it.
Sep 15, 2024 at 6:04amWeb
Show threadLuke KaniesSep 15, 2024

@robpike I can see both ways on this.

There’s a lot of time wasting available on phones.

But a huge portion of my kids’ phone use is just texting with their friends. They read more and are better connected than the average kid was when I was young.

All that communication doesn’t suddenly become worthless just because it’s not with audio.

Edit: you did not say it was worthless. I just… I think the kids are alright. The huge corps suck. But, my kids are better off being able to text friends.

Show threadplanetf1Sep 15, 2024
@lkanies @robpike I’d agree. I communicate a lot with people I know. very rarely in audio that’s all. Yes it is done via corporate platforms, but it’s still social
Show thread🐧DaveNull🐧 ☣️pResident Evil☣Sep 15, 2024

@lkanies I don't think @robpike meant that "all that communication suddenly become worthless just because it’s not with audio"

It's about how having a so called "smart" phones (with a shitload of accounts and “the cloud" bullshit) is becoming mandatory for every aspect of normal life, to use your own tools/devices you have already paid for, to access services, including PUBLIC services, only so big corporations can know everything about you, for advertising profiling and to send you spam…

Show threadLuke KaniesSep 15, 2024

@devnull @robpike yeah, I get it. But I really honestly think kids are better connected now than when I was a kid, and it’s because of our modern phones, and I think that’s good.

It’s definitely true that some get lost and don’t achieve human connection. It’s always been true.

I just think it’s too easy to think “kids these days are making a mistake” and not think “fuck I wish I could have texted my friends at midnight when I was 16”.

I think the kids will be ok.

Show threaddamhan-allaidhSep 15, 2024
@lkanies @devnull @robpike iirc kids who use phone interact with people less irl and less responsive, I'm not so sure if it's a good thing.
Show threadRob HooftSep 15, 2024
@lkanies @robpike be careful with the distinction between “harmful” and “just texting friends”. Texting can become harmful too, e.g. because it is happening also when they need to sleep, and when it is under peer pressure. Also, the continued connectedness with peers makes parental guidance more difficult from a much earlier age than 15 years ago: teens rather believe other teens than those old people that don’t understand anything of life in the current connected age.
Show threadLuke KaniesSep 15, 2024

@rwwh @robpike obviously. All human communication can be harmful.

But I stand by the point that kids these days communicate more often and more successfully with their peers than any previous generation.

And that’s 10x true for people who don’t fit in the mainstream like, well, probably anyone on this weird social network.

Show threadBakunin BoysSep 16, 2024
@lkanies @robpike what app do they use to text? Would you describe the app as a carrier service or a media app? That is, does it mediate their interactions?
Show threadLuke KaniesSep 16, 2024

@bakuninboys @robpike primarily Apple messages or SMS, but also discord.

So in general, no, the service has zero impact on their interactions other than determining what features are available. My (autistic) kids have no algorithm between them and their friends.

Show threadArosano@hachyderm 🇮🇱🇩🇰Sep 15, 2024
@robpike Phones were synchroneous back then. Now they’re asynch, a huge step forward. And you can use them for all sorts of mind games to keep your mind from fossilizing when you get ever closer to 100 years old.
Show threadRavensrod 🫖 🍰Sep 15, 2024
@robpike
I find they are more a way to prevent communication with corporations. Apps with limited options that expect everyone to conform to certain criteria, and if you can't comply they offer no altternative.
Show threadFintanzSep 15, 2024
@robpike analog phones had low latency so you could converse with people. The encoding decoding lag of digital makes conversation unnaturally stop and start. So text has become dominant.
Show threadTim NewshamSep 15, 2024
@robpike and you had the pleasure to work with the phone company that connected the calls and the corporations that we talk to today. ;-)
Show threadGiles GoatSep 15, 2024
@robpike Paraphrasing Peter Handke
"When the child was a child,
the phone was used to talk with people
and you used to talk from a human to a human,
but now, is no longer like that .. Now you talk with AI .."
Show threadKeri SvendsenSep 15, 2024
@tjolsen @robpike So true. The amount of people that never respond or reach out is sad.
Show threadEric LawtonSep 15, 2024

@robpike

Soon to be only with corporate “AI”.

@amydentata

Show threadNelson MinarSep 15, 2024
@robpike it's wild to me that we let a whole communication medium just erode. Between all the junk calls and the completely terrible call quality, landlines are largely useless now.