Would you rather talk to a machine or a human?

Where do you draw the line between automation and the human factor? The answer I choose is when automation takes over the human factor and doesn't serve the needs of the human. Bright House Cable Vision is the prime example of automation gone haywire. My encounter went beyond " Please hold for the next available customer representative." The machine starts asking me questions of what I want. It also ask" Did I hear a yes?" " I did not understand the answer let's try it a different way." " If the answer is yes, say yes or press one." " If the answer is no, say no or press two." This was a part of the process just to talk to a human to get some repair service. We had a repairman come out yesterday and switch out an old switch box to give us better service. He was a hard worker and knew exactly what he was doing. After he left, I got another automated call trying to grade the performance level of the repairman. Imagine this, a computer voice deciding the fate of a human on how well he does his job. At least for this phone call, I was allowed to press one for good job and the computer understood it. I dare not speak to the machine. It might not understand me. Never mind the guy in India who can work for a third of the price of the Americans. What is the cost of a machine? Some oil and an occasional repair bill? At the stores like Home Depot or Wal-Mart, I try to get in the checkout line where there is a human cashier. I have tried the automated ones at Winn-Dixie, but you still have to pay the cashier before heading out the door. Machines were suppose to serve the needs of man. I think the bridge has been crossed with the elimination of jobs and a machine is making decisions where a human should be the choice factor.