Glass was possibly the most polarising gadget in recent memory. Many Explorers argued that the device was a great aid, a fantastic device and should be excepted due to reasons that don’t really sit well with me. I just don’t get it. I didn’t when Google tried the cyborg angle with Google Glass – and Snapchat won’t change that.
With that said I don’t understand many things in technology – VR and Pokémon Go included. Thats not to say they might not appeal to many people, but a computer on your face worries me the most. Not least because I really would like to keep my life to myself.
My Life
There is already a swirling need for us to document every minute of every day – just in case other people might find it vaguely interesting. Coupled with the many people that go much further and stage life events just for the ‘clicks’ or ‘views’ or other measurable thing dependant on your platform of choice.
During a recent concert I lost count of the amount of people that watched the majority of the event on their phone screen while recording. I’m not sure what these people feel about events afterwards, but it must be much more hollow than my memories of enjoying the event.
Our life and memories should be short, fuzzy, and open to interpretation by our feelings. Thats just the way a Human experience has been for thousands of years. Sharing moments with loved ones is one thing but saving everything online is another. Humans just are not made to remember everything; we are fragile and complex individuals with different abilities.
The Black Mirror episode “The entire history of you” hits at a hyper extension of these types of recording device. Unfortunately, the dystopian future predicted in each episode is well inside the realms of possibility – our brains are already much shallower than they used to be, could they be useless soon? Do we eventually have to accept computers and recording devices into every part of our lives, will nothing be truly private again?
Privacy Push
I’ve ready lots of commenters say that these new Snap Spectacles are much better than Glass. However, despite many of the same arguments before society decided Glass wasn’t ok. That shouldn’t change with these new inventions just because they have a light on them!
The fact is I just don’t want to live in a world where I could be on camera at any point in the day. I can tell when people are taking pictures with any type of camera, including a smartphone. I don’t care how careful you are, I can see you creep shooting people on the train you weirdo! I don’t want to have to worry about spy glasses to.
Edit: Saying it shouldn’t be an issue unless I have something to hide? Do you have the same argument for Edward Snowdon?