"QR codes are ugly, dehumanizing, and of evil nature and intent."
Yes. It also helps explain why I am so repulsed by tattoos of QR codes and bar codes. I mean, tattoos in general repulse me, but seeing QR codes or bar codes inked into human skin only deepens this repulsion.
They are indeed horrible. I have managed to function OK simply by owning a 'seniors phone' which they still sell, which are not smart phones, but basic 'dumb phones' text message and phone call only. The 'dumb phone movement' is a luddite movement some people are into, I guess I am into it. I removed the internet from my home, do not have it on my phone, and only travel and sit in the car with a laptop in a public parking area within range of the library wifi for a couple of hours every 2 days. I load a few dozen tabs of blogs I like and don't read them until I get home. I download several youtube videos (convert them to mp3 audio) to listen to later, you can do this using third party sites like 'y2mate', so I go home and listen to the audio and read the blog posts, but I do this in a totally offline non-live environment. The silence, the completely lack of Temptation to open yet another tab or do yet another search, has saved me thousands of hours a year to read books with. My internet 'addiction' (media and alternative media addiction) was indeed an 'addiction to distraction' as your fine book describes. I note it has been several years since you wrote a short book and distributed it for free, do you have any plans for any more long form writing like that? Or were those discrete topics the topics you wanted to write books on and you felt you've said what you needed to say about those topics and gradual blogging suits you better now? Greg Walsh, sitting in my car on my laptop with my dumb phone in my pocket.
Don't get me started on the restaurants that want you to scan their menu. I want to see the food/liquor options laid out for me to consider; not compacted into a 2"x4" screen.
Leo, I'm glad to have only encountered that twice so far. The first place, I narrowed my eyes and walked out, which is their loss as I'd really enjoyed their food previously. The second place I decided to give it a try, only to find their website wouldn't work properly in my (privacy-focused) browser; at least they still allowed me to order at the counter. Th
(Whoops, prematurely hit Publish. Not sure where it left off, but think I got the point across.)
On their own, I don't generally see QR codes as ugly, having been fond of pixel art for a long time. They are becoming increasingly common even in my small city, though, and are unsightly in groups -- and of course they were unavoidable during the birdemic, scans "required" for patronage of public spaces. It wasn't long before I started using the "old-school" method (writing down contact details) when at work, and otherwise feigning the scan, not hitting submit.
10 comments:
"QR codes are ugly, dehumanizing, and of evil nature and intent."
Yes. It also helps explain why I am so repulsed by tattoos of QR codes and bar codes. I mean, tattoos in general repulse me, but seeing QR codes or bar codes inked into human skin only deepens this repulsion.
They are indeed horrible. I have managed to function OK simply by owning a 'seniors phone' which they still sell, which are not smart phones, but basic 'dumb phones' text message and phone call only. The 'dumb phone movement' is a luddite movement some people are into, I guess I am into it. I removed the internet from my home, do not have it on my phone, and only travel and sit in the car with a laptop in a public parking area within range of the library wifi for a couple of hours every 2 days. I load a few dozen tabs of blogs I like and don't read them until I get home. I download several youtube videos (convert them to mp3 audio) to listen to later, you can do this using third party sites like 'y2mate', so I go home and listen to the audio and read the blog posts, but I do this in a totally offline non-live environment. The silence, the completely lack of Temptation to open yet another tab or do yet another search, has saved me thousands of hours a year to read books with. My internet 'addiction' (media and alternative media addiction) was indeed an 'addiction to distraction' as your fine book describes. I note it has been several years since you wrote a short book and distributed it for free, do you have any plans for any more long form writing like that? Or were those discrete topics the topics you wanted to write books on and you felt you've said what you needed to say about those topics and gradual blogging suits you better now? Greg Walsh, sitting in my car on my laptop with my dumb phone in my pocket.
Your thoughts on the I Ching diagrams?
With you a hundred percent. Something about those things that I naturally find repulsive, detestable and yes , full on evil.
@A - Indifference.
Don't get me started on the restaurants that want you to scan their menu. I want to see the food/liquor options laid out for me to consider; not compacted into a 2"x4" screen.
Leo, I'm glad to have only encountered that twice so far. The first place, I narrowed my eyes and walked out, which is their loss as I'd really enjoyed their food previously. The second place I decided to give it a try, only to find their website wouldn't work properly in my (privacy-focused) browser; at least they still allowed me to order at the counter. Th
(Whoops, prematurely hit Publish. Not sure where it left off, but think I got the point across.)
On their own, I don't generally see QR codes as ugly, having been fond of pixel art for a long time. They are becoming increasingly common even in my small city, though, and are unsightly in groups -- and of course they were unavoidable during the birdemic, scans "required" for patronage of public spaces. It wasn't long before I started using the "old-school" method (writing down contact details) when at work, and otherwise feigning the scan, not hitting submit.
I refuse to use QR code menus. If the restaurant can't accommodate me that way, I don't eat there.
@WG - "pixel art"
You lost me there - that's an oxymoron in my book...
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