Technology

[dancerjodi]

Wil Wheaton posted something interesting here http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2007/07/geek-in-revie-1.html . I'm at work, so I can't read his Suicide Girls Blog . . . anyone want to copy the text and post it in my comments here? :)

It does raise an interesting issue. I think we're becoming crippled by our technology. What would happen to you if your e-mail and cell phone and GPS went away? Would you be able to function? I'm not talking about getting your work done at work (some of that does require specific technological tools) - I'm talking about the everyday mundane kind of stuff. Could you call your friends? Find a place you're going? Get money from a bank?

Some things to think about! :)

Comments

What it comes down to

[knome.livejournal.com]

..is if you are a slave to technology, or technology is a slave to you? I think there are two factors here:

1) Attitude. Adopting an "I own tech.. it doesn't own me" attitude and intentionally switching off devices like cell phones and etc when you are having some fun. People you know will figure out that they need to leave you a voice mail! However...

2) Shifting Norms. Once this stuff gets ubiquitous, then being able to do amazing amounts of things all at once becomes the Standard, and so soon after everyone is measured by that standard. If you DON'T live like this, you begin to suffer a competitive disadvantage.. unless you can find a balance somehow.

All of our modern conveniences haven't shortened our work week from 40 to 20, have they? Even though productivity has soared through the proliferation of tech, very little of that has trickled down to the worker. In fact, My father had more time off work than I do, and he didn't have to work from home. Ever. Nor would he have. But nowadays in order to be perceived as a Good Worker, he would HAVE to engage in that sort of behavior.

And that's the root of it, I think. Tech is agnostic.. it is how we use it, and society's expectations that are the trouble.