Response 3 (Alexa Enabled Smart Homes)- Taylor Pullen

What are the key questions/issues the project is addressing? (i.e. concept)

The article brings up that all the smart home technologies may only be setting us back instead of helping us advance, and is only promoting laziness and poor usage of electricity.

Why are these important questions/issues?

In the era of everyone constantly feeling like they’re being watched, do we really need Alexa’s knowing our every move and how we live our lives without the possibility of it recording it/selling our information? Even the possibility of them being hacked without us knowing and having it record everything we say as a way to steal our personal information.

How does the projects address the questions/issues? In their words, what does the project add to human culture? How does it contribute to human meaning? community? ecosystems?

It mostly addresses the physical ramifications of this product coming more into use. How it promotes laziness and how the average human could use the exercise of simply getting up to shut off the lights a few times a day. It also addresses the fact that most of these things are using more energy waiting to hear commands than they are when they’re actually functioning.

Which ecological issues does the project raise/solve?

It raises the issue of wasted electricity on these products waiting for commands and the false impression of convenience and sustainability.

Does the project respond superficially (it just raises the issue for us to think about) vs deeply (it pushes us to engage with the issue and/or take action).

I think the product is trying to get us to follow the “smart home” and “constantly upgrading and evolving” trend, however the article itself is challenging that by saying it is simply unnecessary.

What kind of technology does the project use? Does the technology support the intent or does it create tension with the intent?

This project doesn’t specifically use, but references the Amazon Alexa and smart home technologies. It creates tension with the intent.

Does the project respond superficially (it just raises the issue for us to think about) vs deeply (it pushes us to engage with the issue and/or take action).

I think it raises the issue for us to think about. Of course everyone wants to be “hip” and “with the times” but is it really necessary? Is it helping or only hurting and are the smart homes only setting us further back in the era of electricity conservations and “Earth Hour?”