Her

I have seen Spike Jonze's film Her described as a romantic comedy. But I didn't see it that way at all. I thought it was a good, serious, look at human relationships in a future where people communicate primarily via machines. After all isn't that where we are heading; with so many people glued to their smartphones all the time?

It was really well done. The setting is believably futuristic, without being obviously too sci-fi. The characters are complex and likeable. The plot evolves and we get to an acceptable conclusion.

Nice. Good film. I recommend it. (It's not a rom-com, guys)

And it set me thinking. What am I doing with my life, if not trying to communicate more and more via machines? And who am I communicating with? Nobody. Nobody, that I know at least.

I write this blog, post on twitter, comment on forums... I pretend that other people are reading what I write, but they aren't. Is anyone on the web reading other people's stuff? I don't think so.

It's like being in a world where everyone has their own radio station. We're all broadcasting, congratulating ourselves on being part of a great revolution that has democratised content creation. But no-one is listening to us, just as we aren't really listening to anyone else.

So I have made a decision. I am stopping this. Right now. I'm turning the computer off and going out to meet real people. From now on I'm going to talk to people face-to-face whenever I can. I'm going to do voluntary work. I'm going back to the real world. Goodbye.