Chapter Eight

"They found that although people claim that they know the difference between humans and machines, their cognitive, emotion, and behavioral responses to artificial representations of humans are identical to the reactions they have to real people" (Rheingold 192).

This, again, begs the question: Do we risk losing our humanity as our lives become increasingly dependent on technology?

We yell at our computers when they freeze (nothing like the good ole, "Fatal Error" -- you've all been there) and cell phones when they lose service. But they cannot respond. Nor can people in the same way when we argue with them, besides face-to-face. "Anyone who has experienced a misunderstanding via email or witnessed a flame war in an online discussion knows that mediated communications, lacking the nuances carried by eye contact, facial expression, or tone of voice, increase the possibility of conflicts erupting from misunderstandings" (192). One of my friends was once yelled at by another friend because she had the audacity to "put up an away message in the middle of the conversation and leave."

We come to know people by their user name, screenname, ringtone, number on speed dial, misspellings, and even font. Something mechanical and anonymous takes on a personality and a name. Someone cracks a joke or writes especially clearly with the bland text of WebCT. Sometimes "fighting" online gives us time to reflect on exactly what we wish to say, and edit it before sending.

Certainly, colors, noises, and images which come from all directions threaten to overwhelm us at times. But their intent is to appeal to us. All strive to make machines human, rather than vice versa.