Asking questions in conversation has become problematic. For example, try saying this out loud: “I wonder when Martin Luther King was born?” If you ask that online, a likely response is: “Just Google it!” Maybe with a snarky link: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=when was martin luther king born?
Asking in conversation is frowned upon too. Why ask us when you could ask Siri or Alexa to ask Google?
There’s a kind of shaming going on here. We are augmented with superpowers, people imply, you’re an idiot to not use them.
When I was younger my parents bought a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. I supposed they got tired of answering my incessant questions. With a shelf of information at my disposal, they resorted to “Look it up!”. I think “Google It” is a modern version of that phrase.
Looking something up because you need an exact answer for a paper, etc. makes sense. But I agree with Jon that the “Just Google it!” response has become a barrier to conversation.
I use a mapping app when I am travelling to unfamiliar places and being lost is costly. I don’t use a mapping app for my hikes and walks in unfamiliar parks. If I use a mapping app on my hikes with my wife, I would miss out on conversations with my wife and seeing all the wonderful things around me.
I am grateful to be augmented by escalators, GPS wayfinders, and tuners. But I want to use these powers in ways that complement my own.
via BoffoSocko.