scourge of the 21st century

[barbtries]

BOTS. gawd i hate talking to BOTS.

[MineralMan]

1. Why do you talk to them?

I can't see that as much of a big deal, really, when you compare it with other horrible things that have come up in this century. I really can't. Hang up on bots, or press whatever button gets you to a human. Insignificant, really.

[ljm2002]

3. Well, for example...

...a person might need technical support. My local cable company answers with a bot, and it really, really, really tries to force you to deal with it rather than talking to a real live operator. Also a person might need to talk to their financial institution, or credit card company, and the problem may not be a standard one -- i.e. the bot can't help. Or maybe you just don't know the right thing to say to the bot to get to the choice you need. And again, the bot will really, really, really try to force you to deal with it rather than a real live person. I've often ended up being shunted to some other line and then, all of a sudden, get the dreaded busy signal or other indication that you have been disconnected. So after you've spent 10 or 15 or 30 minutes going through the maze, you get to start all over again.

Sure there are other worse things out there. But I agree with the OP, bots are a scourge and they are symbolic of so much of what is wrong with the corporate-controlled world in which we live. Devaluing anything human, pretending that their bots are really friendly and can do anything a human can do, and irritating the piss out of everyone they come in contact with, thus adding to the frustrations of daily life. Yes, they're a scourge IMO.

[barbtries]

7. ok, what inspired this

i could have waited for a human, but due to heavy call volume that would have involved a long wait. when bots call me i never talk to them.
i really despise them. yeah there's plenty worse to get riled up over, but for me, today, it's the fucking bots.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. Funny, they usually only really bother horses. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. me too

[BOG PERSON]

5. hey!

just because we're robots doesn't mean we don't have feelings... oh wait, that's exactly what it means.

[BOG PERSON]

6. X