Bret makes some really valid arguments regarding the inevitable numbing of human senses, due to people’s excessive reliance on technology. His brief rant made me consider the innate intricacy of my hand movements, and how I often underestimate how powerful of a tool the body is. I also admired how Bret defined his article as a simple acknowledgement of a problem, rather than a grand vision for the future.
There is some merit in Bret’s argument about our immense capability to manipulate object through a wide range of hand and body movements, and that we shouldn’t opt for an increasing use of “Picture Under Glass” – which Bret deems a “visual facade”. However, in an increasingly industrialized world, technology is dominant in shaping our interactions with our environment and with one another. Hence, it is ambitious to assume that people will forgo the use of technologies that facilitate and make their lives much easier.
Bret’s suggestion to invest more research and funding into developing a more dynamic medium – such as haptic technology – is also an interesting premise; as he doesn’t completely rule out the importance of technology to any future developments.