A Soapbox Moment

Over the last few months, I have referenced a number of blog and or websites that my friend Ad has sent me. He is far more versed in searching the web for interesting material than I and so I am always very entertained to read what he feels was worthwhile sending me. Many times it is something he figures I would find interesting, but every once and a while he'll throw one in there that he knows will fire me up just to pick on me (such as an article about how there is no link between autism and mercury in vaccines...don't get me started). I'm not sure which side of the coin the most recent e-mail belonged, for while it didn't make me want to start trowing things like the autism article did, it did get my brain going on all the ways I would question this person's view on the world. I decided that since I've been rather neglectful of my blog as of late that I would include my comment back here rather than in an e-mail to Ad. If you would like to read the entire blog entry he sent me it is located here: Turing'd.

If you didn't read the entry I'll quickly explain - the author suggests that certain professions have been turing'd (I'm not sure where this word came from, I for one while using 'googled' and 'texted' rather frequently, definitely missed this word's entry into our vocabulary), while others have not. From what I gather it means that certain professions have embraced the use of computers to accomplish what used to be accomplished by humans, while others hold out that humans still do things better. I will specifically be commenting on the last sentences of the blog which state: "Once you are Turing'd it is much easier to believe other occupations which we humans used to do uniquely, can be done by computers. You tend to be open to disruptive technology in all parts of your life. Have you been Turing'd?"

I will start my rebuttal by stating that I most definitely have not be turing'd. While I absolutely appreciate what computers can do and find many things extremely useful, I do not feel that as a general statement it can be said that computers will one day be able to do everything better than humans. They may be able to do many things faster than humans, however, faster does not necessarily mean better - please reference the childhood story of the Tortoise and Hare. I do not believe I would be as convinced of this fact if I did not have the specific job that I do. For those of you who don't know (or never knew how to explain it), my job is to provide science based information to people who are making decisions that impact coastal resources. The longer I am in this position the more I find a need to understand the discipline of social science in addition to the more classic biological sciences that I crammed in my brain in mass amounts during school. As a result I have become less impressed with technology's claim to be able to do all things than I was previously. I am daily faced with the question of 'how do I explain the many facets of this issue in a way that people can a) understand what it means and b) be compelled to change their behavior as a result. And let me tell you, a computer most certainly does NOT solve this question.

Let's take a specific example so I can make my point - I am presently setting up a workshop on wetlands. The audience of this workshop are developers, engineers, architects, planners and planning commission member who make decisions on development and it's impact on wetlands. Now, I first need to explain to these people who have not had 7 years of school specific to biological sciences why wetlands are important and why they should be protected in certain cases. I then need to let them know what regulations impact wetlands so that everyone is working on the same page regarding what can and can not be done (because believe me there is a lot of uncertainty on this issue). And lastly I need to offer up some solutions to them and help them look at these possible solutions constructively to determine if they would in fact work within their scope of work. Oh, and all of this needs to be done in about a 6 hour period, with appropriate breaks at an appropriate location with appropriate notice so that the appropriate people attend in the first place. Computers and technology greatly assist in my ability to inform the developers, engineers and architect portion of that audience group of the existence of said meeting. It also greatly assists in my finding appropriate speakers through searching the web, production of materials for the attendees, keeping track of people's contact information, keeping up to date on any changes in the political arena via online news updates and the like, the speaker's ability to add visuals into their talk through PowerPoint, the attendees ability to gather information post-meeting from my website, and a variety of other lesser things such as simply keeping track of my life on Microsoft Outlook's calendar. It does NOT however, in any way replace me in the equation. Not to act as if I'm super spectacular, really anyone who is committed and organized with proper training could do my job. But it needs to be a person. A computer will not be able to call the speakers and explain to them the intent of the course, work out with them what material should be presented, or present that material. In fact I have seen talks when people rely on PowerPoint and do not add their own 'human' touch, and it is a painful experience (with no increase in knowledge on my part by the way). A computer will also not be able to replace the interaction that is made by the 60 or so people that attend this meeting, and would not be able to map how these people may collaborate or network based simply on being in the same room, hearing the same information and starting up conversations based on their own unique personalities and experiences. A computer would also not be able to go back to work and apply this information in an effective manner, because while there are plenty of computer programs that can apply these ideas when deciding how to develop a plot of land - if there is not someone who wants to use them they are not going to be used no matter how great they are.

I could go on, but I think I have more or less made my point and do at some point have to actually get back to doing the work that goes into said wetlands workshop - because I promise my computer will not do it by itself. But I would like to summarize my opinion. I have not been turing'd because I think that at our core humans are social creatures and for that reason our culture will not allow social interaction to be done away with even if it is more efficient to do so. We have been trying to have computers do quite a number of things, and yet I am not convinced they even do them better than the people they replaced, so why would I propose they do more? I have yet to receive a call where I hear the pause caused by a computer dialing the number and transferring me to a person that I did not hang up on. I have yet to find an automated call number that didn't frustrate me enough to want to throw my phone across the room (that is unless in the very first menu it gave me the option to push one button and get a real person). I absolutely LOVE the fact that I can drive up to a gas pump, scan my credit card, pump my gas, get back in my car and head off. I would not however, be very psyched if I pulled up to a doctor office, scanned my thumbprint, listened to an automated recording of what may be wrong with me, was given a bunch of colored pills I was supposed to take and put back in my car. I personally will always prefer a real human doctor on this one, even with all their possible mistakes. I LOVE the fact I can keep up with my friends via blogs so that the major points in life are cataloged and I don't forget to ask them about theirs or tell them about mine. I would not however, like if my only way to speak to my friends was through totally unspecific blog entries posted through the world wide web. I prefer sitting down with coffee (that was made by a person by the way, I'm picky with my coffee) and chat about life.

So, I may be the only one left, but I am very happy to have not been turing'd and hope that others join me.