FALLING VICTIM TO CONVENIENCE 1/4

When you take a taxi or Uber do you tend to talk to the driver?
Uber has launched a quiet ride service which means that passengers can request that
a driver refrain from talking to them during their trip. Do you think it is a good idea?
Read the first part of the article and find out what the journalist thinks of the new service.

The Guardian June 2019

their trip. that nuisance or bother is

Uber’s quiet ride option is
a warning: we are falling
victims to convenience
Uber has launched a quiet
ride service in the US, which
means that passengers can
request that a driver refrain
from talking to them during
If you’re reading this
thinking, “Great, now rich
people have even less reason
to talk to people outside their
bubble of wealth,” then you’re
not alone. Uber passengers
will be exposed to even fewer
diverse experiences, and will
stop hearing stories that reach
into their hearts and knock on
the door of their empathy.
And I hate this. Not just
because we need to hear
stories and talk to people
from diverse backgrounds,
but because it’s a signal that
we’ve fallen prey to the idea
an undesirable aspect to our
lives, that everything must be
faster, smoother, quieter. It’s
a warning that we are falling
victims to convenience.
We are not to be
interrupted, or embarrassed,
or disturbed. The child crying
on a flight? An outrage. A
crappy Netflix suggestion?
Abhorrent. The overly chatty
shop assistant? Daft! Now,
believe me, I judge not. I am as
irritated and wound up as the
rest of them. Convenience is
addictive, it leaves me craving
more and more simplicity.

What are the benefits of hearing stories and talking to people from diverse backgrounds?
In what ways do you think we are falling vicitims to convenience?
The journalist goes on to say that we can outsource pretty much every aspect of irritation
in our lives. What examples of that do you think she gives? Read the next part of the
article and check your ideas.

or pain. Like a dystopian sci- internet.

You can outsource pretty
much every aspect of
irritation in your lives. But you
can’t outsource loneliness,
fi plotline, we are allowing
Silicon Valley to make our lives
as convenient and seamless
as possible. We are in the
process of bidding farewell
to dragging toddlers around
a speciality shop in search of
a particular item; these days
a mindless nudge of a button
brings it to our door in record
time, swathed in protective
foam, products birthed from
the algorithmic womb of the
Think about that for a
moment – all the things we
are rarely or no longer doing.
Soon we will not be driving
in traffic, or waiting for a
bus, we will not search for
a parking spot, we will not
pace up and down the aisles
of a supermarket, we will not
wait in the checkout queue.
It’s a wonderful dream, not
having to do all of these
mundane, boring things. We
FALLING VICTIM TO CONVENIENCE 2/4

are exceptional individuals,
profoundly busy ones. Our
time is of utmost importance,
so it’s best if we’re not
wasting it finding the right
light bulb. Convenience,
suddenly, is a commodity in
and of itself. A mechanism
to avoid other people and
boredom and annoyance and
frustration. These are bad real connection. Except that,
things, we’re told. What could well, it’s not.
possibly come of being bored
and frustrated? And why on
Earth should we have to deal
with people that we don’t
know? We hate small talk.
It’s meaningless, futile. It’s
an expression of intellectual
mediocrity and an absence of

The journalist says: Small talk is an expression of intellectual mediocrity and an absence
of real connection. Except that, well, it’s not. Why do you think she says it isn’t?
Read the next part of the article and find out.

we might think there’s no waiting for the bus. The little

Studies have shown that
regular interactions with
weak ties, or acquaintances,
can drastically improve your
mental health and feelings
of connectedness. So while
point waiting around at our
local coffee shop when you
can pre-order your flat white
on an app, studies prove us
wrong. Baristas, cashiers,
yoga teachers – these are all
people that might recognise
you, and people that are
worth talking to, even if it’s
just a quick nod of the head.
But there’s an app for
everything now, which means
no more phone calls to the
pizza shop, no chit-chat while
white earbuds, and their more
aggressive, noise-cancelling
cousins, are shielding us from
this terrible outside world.
And we are lonelier than
ever. Our communities are
disintegrating, whether it’s
the corner store bought by
a billionaire developer or
churches being replaced by
Instagram or the fact that I
have never met or even seen
my nextdoor neighbour. We
are at a crisis point.

Do you think we are lonelier than ever and at a crisis point?

Read the final part of the article and summarise in your own words what the journalist
says we need and what we should do.

I climbed into the back seat conversation didn’t change my

of an Uber, ready to listen to
a podcast in peace on my ride
home. To my frustration, the
driver got talking. He wanted
to practise his English on
me. I relaxed and engaged,
and we had a pleasant
15-minute conversation
A few days ago, earphones about rental prices, Germany
already locked into my ears, and gentrification. This
life, but when I arrived home
I felt light, happy. I smiled and
laughed with my driver. The
small talk reminded me of
generosity and graciousness
that exists in humanity, and
that is something worth being
reminded of.
I would argue that
we actually need to be
FALLING VICTIM TO CONVENIENCE 3/4

inconvenienced, frequently.
We know we need to connect
with other human beings
instead of shouting into the
echo chamber of Facebook
and Twitter, but do we know
that strangers fall into this
category? We need the
fleeting intimacy and bad
jokes and exaggerated smiles
that come with conversing
with an Uber driver much
more than the promise of
a silent chauffeur, whizzing
us through the city while
we check our never-ending it. Walk to the train station
stream of DMs and emails without distraction, taking
and WhatsApps. in the smells and sounds of
So, instead of plugging in your town. And for goodness
your AirPods and listening to sake, have a chat to your Uber
a podcast on how to better driver. You never know, you
connect with your loved might even enjoy it.
ones, or how to market
your startup, or how to be
as productive as humanly
possible, try something new.
Make small talk. Make eye
contact. Perhaps give a non-
creepy smile to someone
that looks like they need

Do you agree with the journalist?

Choose the correct word to complete the expressions in these extracts from the article:
1 If you’re reading this thinking, “Great, now rich people have even less reason to talk
to people outside their globe / bubble / balloon of wealth,” then you’re not alone.
2 …it’s a signal that we’ve fallen pray / prey / pay to the idea that nuisance or bother
is an undesirable aspect…
3 It’s a warning that we are becoming / tripping / falling victims to convenience.
4 We are in the process of bidding / giving / showing farewell to dragging toddlers
around a special / specially / speciality shop in search of a particular item…
5 We hate little / tiny / small talk.
6 …a podcast on how to better connect with your lovely / love / loved ones…
7 And for goodness / good / goodly sake, have a chat to your Uber driver.
Complete these sentences with the expressions.
1 I don’t mind __________________________. I am happy to talk about the weather and
how my day is going with a taxi driver or shop assistant.
2 Most politicians are not connected to the average person on the street and live in a
___________________ political priviledge.
3 It is difficult not to ___________________________ modern marketing. It is pervasive
and very convincing.
4 _________________________________, please tidy up in here. It’s a total mess.
5 After the tsunami, people searched for their ________________ who had gone missing.
6 The player ___________________________ to the fans after his last game for the club.
7 “I need a needle for my record player.” “You’ll have to go to a ______________________
for that. You won’t find one in a general store.”

Write sentences of your own with the expressions.

e.g. I fell prey to online fraudsters and my bank account was hacked.
FALLING VICTIM TO CONVENIENCE 4/4

What does the highlighted expression in this extract from the article mean?

The Guardian June 2019

And why on Earth should we have to deal with people that we don’t know?

There are other expressions with Earth in English. What do you think these mean?
1 heaven on Earth
2 bring (someone) down to Earth
3 disappear off the face of the Earth
4 the four corners of the Earth
5 hell on Earth
6 promise the Earth
7 the salt of the earth
8 move heaven and Earth
Match the expressions to the definitions below.
__ genuine, unpretentious, and morally sound
__ do everything that one can to make something happen
__ something that is very enjoyable, pleasurable, etc.
__ cause someone who is being overly optimistic to remember or consider reality
__ an awful or extremely unpleasant situation or circumstance
__ very unique or distinctive; very untidy or very unattractive
__ promise something that is not feasible or cannot be done
__ vanish completely and without a trace
__ everywhere; all parts of the world
Complete these sentences with the expressions:
1 Has anyone talked to Nina lately? It’s like she ___
_______________________________.
2 Jemima’s cookies are delicious. They’re ________
__________________________.
3 I had to ________________________________ to get
a flight home at Christmastime.
4 Politicians _______________________________ and
then deliver nothing.
5 Even with all his success, Robert is still ______________________________________.
6 Athletes came from ________________________________ to compete in the Olympics.
7 This place has been ____________________ ever since the new manager took over.
He is horrible.
8 I hate to be the one to ___________ you _____________________, but things aren’t as
good as you think.