One sweltering windless night while having dinner outside in Burma, my ears were assaulted by a monk chanting scripture — with amplification. Too much amplification.
There was nothing to do but listen. And I’ll never forget the conversation I had with somebody nearby.

Me. What’s he saying?
Them: It’s a prayer.
Me: [...]

While there is some good in making machines more like humans, why do we try to make humans more like machines?

I was at the post office recently to mail a package. When I reached the counter the clerk started to rattle through a list of options, with prices, most of which were not relevant [...]