求翻译!forconversationpress#1再次感激不尽!

ForConversationPress#1

I’vegotacellphone,emailandvoicemail.ButwhyamIsolonely?

Afunnythinghappenedonthewaytothecommunicationsrevolution:westoppedtalkingtooneanother.

Iwaswalkingintheparkwithafriendrecently,andhiscellphonerang,interruptingourconversation.Theretheywere,talkingonabeautifullysunnydayandIbecameinvisible,absentfromtheconversation.

Theparkwasfilledwithpeopletalkingontheircellphones.Theywerepassingotherpeoplewithoutlookingatthem,sayinghello,noticingtheirbabiesorstoppingtopettheirpuppies.Evidently,theuntetheredelectronicvoiceispreferabletohumancontact.

Thetelephoneusedtoconnectyoutotheabsent.Nowitmakespeoplesittingnexttoyoufeelabsent.RecentlyIwasinacarwiththreefriends.Thedriverhushedtherestofusbecausehecouldnothearthepersonontheotherendofhiscellphone.Therewewere,fourfriendszoomingdownthehighway,unabletotalktooneanotherbecauseofagadgetdesignedtomakecommunicationeasier.

Whyisitthatthemoreconnectedweget,themoredisconnectedIfeel?Everyadvanceincommunicationstechnologyisasetbacktotheintimacyofhumaninteraction.Withemailandinstantmessagingovertheinternet,wecannowcommunicatewithoutseeingortalkingtooneanother.Withvoice-mail,youcanconductentireconversationswithouteverreachinganyone.Ifmymomhasaquestion,Ijustleavetheansweronhermachine.

Asalmosteveryconceivablecontactbetweenhumanbeingsgetsautomated,thealienationindexgoesup.Youcan’tevencallapersontogetthephonenumberofanotherpersonanymore.Directoryassistanceisalmostalwaysfullyautomated.

Pumpinggasatthestation?Whysaygoodmorningtotheattendantwhenyoucanswipeyourcreditcardatthepumpandsaveyourselfthebotherofhumancontact?

Makingadepositatthebank?WhytalktoaclerkwhomightliveintheneighborhoodwhenyoucanjustinsertyourcardintotheATM?

Prettysoonyouwon’thavetheburdenofmakingeyecontactatthegrocerystore.Somesupermarketchainsareusingaself-scannersoyoucancheckyourselfout,avoidingthoseannoyingclerkswholookat