Laughing with Di – August 2021

A friend was recently annoyed after she purchased a simple air purifier and discovered it had the option to be programmed through the internet and controlled by personal devices. She returned said purifier as she did not plan on having a conversation with it from her phone. Are you also sometimes distressed over the abundance of internet connected devices that rule our world?
Let’s have a laugh…
Back in the day, the first covert surveillance I had to deal with were the eyes in the back of my mother’s head. Second, were nuns in the school room pacing the aisles wielding rulers under their voluminous habit sleeves (always wondered what else lived in those sleeves). Finally, a grandma in the second-story window behind a curtain furtively watching my comings and goings on my route to and from anywhere!
In the workplace, I was always irritated by the office manager hovering over my shoulder in order to stick her nose in my business (until I became an office manager!). Who hasn’t been with an annoying back-seat driver (like Aunt Stella) kibbitzing and judging our motoring skills. Unfortunately, now our car IS Aunt Stella! It can take over the controls if it thinks you are speeding, need to stop quickly, parallel park, stay in your lane, etc.
*Everyday items like refrigerators, coffee machines, cameras, LED bulbs, alarm systems, doorbells, nanny cams can be set up to remotely access a smart phone. Fit bits count steps and can analyze your REM sleep. A college student takes an exam on-line and is supervised by invisible proctor software.
All of these electronics are “chipping” away at our patience. Take me back to the old radio program that ended with “the Shadow knows.” At least he kept what he knew to himself.
*Time Magazine, 7/12/21, The Great Chip Race by Andrew Blum.