The Double Edged Sword of Technology...

My friend Justin (aka. Mr. Money-Shot/Mega Gadget Geek) inspired me to write this.

I remember back in the 1980's thinking that computers were just for schools and scientists and maybe the government. In only 25 or so years since, almost everyone has a computer. Even if you don't own an actual PC workstation or laptop, you definitely own a cell phone (and I'm pretty sure even homeless people own them nowadays). They are everywhere. Cell phones have dramatically taken over as every one's personal assistants. They are little mini-PCs that have global communication technology including GPS satellite navigation, voice, text and email access, Internet access, and I'm sure coming soon a feature that allows alien communication! I mean what an amazing yet distracting tool! If we only used maybe ten percent of our brains before all this technology explosion, we are surely using less and less as these devices get smarter and smarter. (Can you say Terminator?) How many phone numbers do we remember from sheer memory anymore? I heard that my friend recently had a cell phone crash and couldn't even remember his own wife's number. Sad but true.

Now amidst all of this advancement in communication and personal computers, how often do we truly give ourselves a break from it all? If you stop to look around, it's really rather disturbing how people are so wrapped up in their little devices. Go to the gym and people are all wired with their Ipods and their phones and are literally like robots as they go about their typical routines walking and jogging in the same spot for hours. It's even so much of a problem that some states like California have made it illegal to drive while talking or texting on cell phones unless you use the hands free device. Did you just hear what I said? A HANDS FREE DEVICE. It is too much trouble to have to hold the phone to your ears and talk because you might need your hands for other things so they invented a HANDS FREE DEVICE. I think we all look like the Borg from Star Trek when wear these things! Man are we lazy!!!

My point here is this, people should place more value on life's sacred things and not get so wrapped up in man made tools of distraction. I am just as guilty as the rest of them for spending my fair share on computers and using cell phones, however I am trying to recognize that it really isn't always for the best. If you go camping, leave your laptops and your gadgets at home, that's what camping is for...appreciation of the outdoors. Take some time away from the TV and computer and take a walk on the beach. I'm telling you...we are putting way too much faith in the powers that create all this technology and not spending enough time without it. It is 100% luxuriuos and 0% necessary. I don't think it makes us better people to have so much at our fingertips that we also control so little of. One flip of the grid (power grid, Internet grid) and we will all be left with a bunch of fancy looking devices that can only be used for skipping across a lake (and of course poisening the lake soon after by leaking its lithiom ions all over the place).

PS. I should have written this in my normal hand written journal, it would have lasted longer that way.