There are two friends everyone should have:
- One who tells you the truth no matter how harsh (e.g. you don’t check into the gym enough, your dress-sense is subpar)
- One who encourages you to be truthful to yourself and stop practicing self-destructive behaviors (e.g. your propensity to digitally stalk new/old flames/friends)
Already by your side, your smartphone could serve both roles.
frog design wrote a great article featured on PSFK questioning the future role of our devices in the mitigation of our interaction with our environment and situations, and relationship with other social actors. They wonder: should we use our devices to encourage us to stay honest and prevent actions that have negative consequences?
The notion of intuitive, honest devices is interesting. When I read this article, I immediately thought of facebook and the way people use it to monitor former (and potential) paramours, in a way that prolongs the fixation. What if your smartphone could chide you from doing this, thereby helping you move on? Google Mail Googles for the emotionally drunk.
I am for technology as a reinforcing mechanism-friend who nudges me to be a better person, or find happiness, or at least encourage me to avoid actions that have ill effects. Bring on the feeling machines.
Read it: frog design: How Honest Should Smart Devices Be?
