Fans of the more recent iPhones have fallen in love with Siri. Siri is a personal assistant that responds to your voice commands. The program can help you schedule a meeting, dial a phone number while you’re driving, and help find you a nearby shop or restaurant.
It’s impressive technology and it really makes you feel like you’re living in a future only seen before in Buck Rogers. I’m sure over time, we’ll see more and more programs like Siri and they’ll probably become even more helpful.
But there’s a problem with Siri. The program works hard to give you want you want. The problem is that’s not always what you need.
There’s a spontaneity to life that leads to innovation. Being lost leads to you finding things that you otherwise would not have discovered. Perhaps you meet the love of your life while asking for directions. That doesn’t happen is Siri is keeping you on the right path.
If you’re always able to find the kind of food you like to eat, will you ever try a restaurant that’s out of your comfort zone? A certain amount of pain moves us to explore our world and get away from the familiar. How do you think the iPhone was invented? It didn’t come from people who were happy with the Motorola Razr phone.
Siri can also make you more productive. That’s great but what are you doing with your “saved” time. Too often, increased productivity frees up more of your time, which you then use to work even harder. In the big picture, that’s a net loss for your quality of life. And do you ever expect Siri to say, “Hey, you look tired. Take a break.”
Organization is a great thing and I’m not saying that you should turn your back on Siri. Just make sure that there’s still some messy moments in your life.
