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A comment on Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too many times. Parent comment

Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by shellfishgene on Friday September 10, 2021 @04:27AM (#28479039)
Some cars in arab countries have a feature where the "travel prayer" is recited via the speakers upon starting the car. It takes about one minute [1]. Fortunately our company car hat a button to turn the feature off. Of course we always turned it back on to annoy the next (non-muslim western) car user. Saudi airlines also plays the prayer (or used to?), however by someone with a really deep voice and with cave-like reverb, which made is sound quite unlike any other airplane announcement. [2]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGCPtF6XVIY [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_TVsxFChrk

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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by adriand on Friday September 10, 2021 @06:49AM (#28479788)
That is very funny but speaking in practical terms, and not about UX, how does a feature like this work in practice? Does Allah respond to prayers emitted by electronics? Or is the idea that the human is supposed to recite the prayer along with the recording?
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by schelling42 on Friday September 10, 2021 @08:02AM (#28480333)
The idea is to use some peoples receptivity to religion for shifting their awareness to the risks of traveling. It can also help to center thoughts, calm down, and increase mindfulness while steering the motorized vehicle, therefore decreasing traffic accidents. (I wonder whether there are studies on if this actually helps.)
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by adriand on Friday September 10, 2021 @10:31AM (#28482091)
Ah, that's interesting. Speaking from personal experience (and as an atheist, who happened to grow up in a religious household), I think many atheists are too quick to dismiss the value of rituals/prayers/meditations. As you pointed out, there can be value even if the deity to whom the prayer is offered doesn't exist or isn't listening.

For example, growing up my family began and ended each meal with a prayer of, essentially, thanksgiving, with a few other requests thrown in ("keep us safe", etc.) This delimited the meal time: we were there for the duration, we all started eating together and there was no leaving before the meal had ended. I don't remember the prayer any more but I do have fond memories of family dinners, the unity and connection we all experienced during that time and the spirited conversations they featured. Prayers of thanksgiving also center the experience of eating in one of gratitude.

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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by bavell on Friday September 10, 2021 @11:35AM (#28483026)
There's deeply embedded programming in our brains related to sharing a meal with others which strengthens social bonds. Rituals like this very much play into that. As do lunch with colleagues or dinner dates.
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by bavell on Friday September 10, 2021 @11:38AM (#28483051)
Most [literally any group of humans] are good folk, but unfortunately there is a small radical subset which are not.

FTFY.

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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by mensetmanusman on Friday September 10, 2021 @10:06PM (#28488861)
Only if there is an abundance of resources…
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by bbarnett on Friday September 10, 2021 @12:08PM (#28483526)
Sure. However the thread is about Islamic prayer.
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by lotsofpulp on Friday September 10, 2021 @07:13AM (#28479927)
The idea is to keep people in line within the tribe by forcing rituals.
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by rsynnott on Friday September 10, 2021 @08:28AM (#28480561)
Well, there's precedent: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by kylehotchkiss on Friday September 10, 2021 @07:23AM (#28479991)
I have the same odd question about listening to contemporary Christian radio stations - does one become holier when the music is playing instead of the top 40 pop station?
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by prepend on Friday September 10, 2021 @08:31AM (#28480588)
I expect it makes people happier to listen to music they enjoy. So the same as someone listening to classical stations, or country, or whatever.

Maybe people enjoy hearing prayer radios. I spent time in Nepal and people would listen to recorded meditations and chants. But I didn’t hear them on the radio, it was recorded on phones and iPods and stuff.

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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by mannykannot on Friday September 10, 2021 @08:33AM (#28480602)
For some, maybe just holier-than-thou - but then, so too can highbrow art.
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by silicon2401 on Friday September 10, 2021 @09:40AM (#28481396)
That's quite an ominous way to have the prayer recited, like the audio for Gandalf reciting the ring inscription in black speech. I would probably feel unsettled rather than calmed hearing that before a flight.
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by sterlind on Friday September 10, 2021 @11:53AM (#28483277)
I assume maybe if it's your language/culture/religion you'd find it soothing rather than ominous?
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Re:Our fridge just emailed us to say we opened its door too ... by silicon2401 on Friday September 10, 2021 @12:04PM (#28483473)
It's not about the language/religion, it's about the audio editing. I could see reverb/delay being a part of Muslim culture, but it can definitely be jarring if it's not part of the listener's culture
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