Tonight at the local grocery I was presented with the difficult choice of waiting in line for a cashier to scan and bag my groceries or to do it all myself. It's difficult because I'm impatient and I'd be ruing myself if I made the wrong decision. Normally I'm happy to while away a few minutes looking at magazines like People, Us, or In Touch. But tonight the only cashier line was three deep, and from sizing up the cashier and the customers I decided I could do it faster myself. Luckily it worked out for the best as I left the store before the person who would of been ahead of me in the other line had even finished paying.
I've watched the store evolve from a cashier with a bagger who loaded your cart to a cashier that bags and you load the cart to offloading all the work on the customer. Many customers have complained every step of the way. I think it's great because it theoretically keeps prices lower and it gives the customer more choice. ATMs, pay at the pump, and airport kiosks have also been great inventions for consumers.
Some will say that it is making society impersonal. I'd argue that people have plenty of chances for personal interaction during the day. They could talk with co-workers, eat lunch with a friend, join a club, or call someone on the phone. The list goes on. So if you're quick to complain about what you have to do as a customer think a little deeper because it may actually be for your benefit.
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