In the old days, the lord of the manor lived in splendid isolation behind his castle’s walls, and he was practically unapproachable by the common man.
Many things have changed for the better since the Middle Ages, but the decision-makers are still beyond reach. Instead of walls, they are now protected by soulless, anonymous bots. Finding a human being to voice your concerns or to ask pointed questions is virtually impossible. And you shouldn’t have the impertinence to even try it, they say.
These days, everybody (even beggars) owns a phone and in theory, you should be able to contact anybody at any time. But not so fast! The key numbers are kept out of reach of the huddled masses. You cannot call the governor or your senator to complain about this or that. No, no, no! You must first go through a labyrinth, an obstacle course to reach that revered person.
As a concrete example (and I have plenty of them) I was trying today to reach an Earthling at Xfinity (or is it Comcast?) to grumble about a sudden and mysterious increase in my monthly bill. As I usually do, I let my fingers do the talking and started to look for a pertinent telephone number on their website. But Tarnation! I could not find any. I finally came across a “Customer Support” button and I jumped on it like a hungry dog on a bone.
I believe that this is a devious plot to discourage any type of complaint. When you call, you are usually put on hold, and it is hoped that the lengthy waiting time will discourage you and prompt you to hang up.
When the Support Person finally manifested his/herself… in print, I was asked to click on some links and answer some very personal questions. Everybody knows that clicking on any unknown link is fraught with peril and that it is a big NO-NO for all the Internauts. But what else could I do?
I was asked among other things for my Social Security Number and a credit card number. How can I be sure that I am not dealing with some Romanian fleabag trying to rip me off? It happens every day…
With each passing day, we venture deeper into a more impersonal world. The droids are everywhere, even on the battlefield, and they have scant respect for insignificant insects like you.
Nevertheless, I went through my session with the bot and was ultimately assured of a better deal. I am now clenching my sphincter and anxiously waiting for the best.
Feeling lost in space, longing for a human, compassionate voice.
Alain
I don’t know about you, but my relationships with (insurance-provided) doctors have always been a source of discomfort for me. Office visits rarely bring total satisfaction, often leaving me with feelings of unfinished business.