But here, to piggyback from Grannie Annie, is the question of the week: do you ever wish we were back in the times of less technology?
Last night Mr. RK and I watched a movie that was set in 1973. One of the characters gets up to change the channel on a knob on the TV. (Yes, I remember our family having a set like that when I was little.) I started thinking about that, and it bled into a dream that a friend texted me that he had sex with another friend. OK, that is true, but that wasn't the important part (for me, anyway, can't speak for either of them): the text came in on my calculator. Then it came in on my phone, and then another calculator, and then the microwave - all of the electric appliances in my home. I couldn't turn it off or get away from the texts.
I like convenience. I love texting my little brother, because it's one of the only ways I get a hold of him. I love that I can e-mail my great aunt in Southern Oregon at 3 a.m. without waking anyone up.
But sometimes I wonder if I'm just a slave to technology and convenience and if it owns me, rather than being at my service.
14 comments:
The other day when we went camping I had zero phone service. I mean, not one single shred of signal. So I shut off my phone the entire weekend, and it was bliss. Pure bliss. I forgot how nice it is to fall off the grid for a while. I need to do that more often.
Also, re: your question on the blog, Kickstarter is an all or nothing fundraiser. If we make our goal or higher, we get what we earned. If we don't reach that goal, we get absolutely nothing. Zero. I know, it sucks, so we're hoping we make it. We're not out of the race yet!
I hear you. I often have weekends or days where I just ignore technology (particularly communications tech) - leave the iPhone in a drawer, don't turn the laptop on. It's replenishing. I also rarely have my phone on volume or vibrate (indeed, the only time I do is when I'm throwing a party in case guests need directions or if I'm expecting a call). Keeps me sane(r).
Oh, and I reaaaaallly loathe technology when I get bombarded with spammy comments from you know who.
To be honest, I can probably live w/o most modern technology.
I didn't have it while growing up, so most of what I got, I got unwillingly.
Thanks for the shout out. I'm sure you were referring to my post titled "Goose Me".
You have certainly asked a valid question. I am afraid to say that we are the slaves. It is true that I am grateful for texting when it comes to hearing from the grand-kids. If they couldn't text I probably wouldn't hear from them. (How long before "texting" becomes a real word?)
Right now, too much technology. I say let's all go back twenty years or so. The early 80s was just right. Before Zack Morris had a cellphone.
I avoid a great deal of technology. I don't have a mobile phone. I just don't want to be available 24 hours a day. I am addicted to my computer though.
I agree that we should always check that technology serves us rather than enslaves us. I hated the way emails increased my work load .....that was when I was working regularly.
I consider it at my service, but it did bother me a little this weekend when the area my sister lives in doesn't have AT&T service, so I couldn't use my iPhone for either calling or data. On the other hand - it felt good to be free of emailing, blogging, etc., but then I felt behind on those things, too.
Well, fuck. I just replied to everyone individually and Google ate it!
I don't know how good I would be without artificial light sources and hot water, but I could leave the rest of it and not really miss too much.
We just got back from a week in Yellowstone and it was so nice to be around people actually *talking* to each other, you know, in each others presence--- instead of focusing on any given number of screens (phone, computer, TV, etc.).
P.S. Sorry you lost all those responses to commenters... bummer!
With the notable exceptions you have listed, yes. Sometimes I step away from technology. Mostly when I am feeling overwhelmed by its demands.
And then, weak and wussy that I am, I step back.
I have managed to resist Facebook, and iphone and twitter though. Not certain if that makes me courageous or a luddite.
See. New technology sucks
Skye: That does sound nice!
TEC: I don't do any of those, either. Luddites, unite!
WIGSF: Yep.
Post a Comment