These days we can observe many supermarkets starting to use self-checkout machines. Interestingly, Japan has lagged behind with adopting this method of checking out until very recently, partially because they tend to pay with primarily cash.
Machines do have some advantages in some cases, for example the supermarkets are able to save some money by not having as many employees to pay, and it does save some time. As a customer in her 60s said, “I always use a self-checkout machine because I can pay more quickly than at a manned cash register.”
On the other hand, when we work with machines, we lose the social aspect of dealing with real live human beings. We don’t talk or interact with each other in this social environment. Yes, the contact with a cashier is short and mostly shallow, but it’s an opportunity to make small talk, smile, and be friendly. I would argue that such interactions are also important in our lives. You can observe the contrast of interactions in this short video:
The opposite of this way of shopping is going to a local farmers market. Maybe it lacks the conveniences of modernity, but it’s endowed with so much life. You can haggle with the vendor which is fun, talk, ask questions, laugh, get to know new people. In this times when social isolation is increasing, such form of human contact should be preserved. What do you think?
