When looking back through my Feb-March posts, I noticed a pattern. Food, pregnancy, religious thoughts, food, pregnancy, religious thoughts. Could I be more predictable? :) To be fair, these items do occupy most of my free time outside of work and classes and they are important. This post could have been about the amazing Irish feast I prepared last night (except not amazing - it turned into a diaster), but I will try something new. Perhaps commentary? I will ponder new things to post.
On my mind as of late - the virtues and vices of technology. Technology is everywhere, it seems to have taken over everything with access to a pocketbook. I sometimes (actually often) go through fits about what to do regarding this takeover: fight it or embrace it, loathe it or love it? And, what about the environment Baby Towers will grow up in? Aaron and I remember a time without the internet or the microwave, so we have some pre-takeover context, but our child won't. And, taking that further, Aaron and I have never grown up in a time where we had make to survive (i.e., grow our own food, make clothes, build our home, etc). We have only known life where these tasks were deligated to companies, corporations, or other specialists.
On the positive side, all these technologies and luxuries allow us to excel in our individual fields. Both Aaron and I do health-related research. We aren't required to spend time gardening, sewing, and wood working; there are other experts who work in these fields. In theory, all these "experts" should allow a society to excel and progress more quickly. Technology, particularly the internet, has interconnected the world in a way it has never been before. We can reach out to others more easily (e.g, this blog), and we can learn about a great breath of subjects in a short amount of time. We can work from home or distantly. Everything is more efficient. Everything is cleaner, or so we think (another post for BPA, PBDEs, and phthalates later). Technology can lesson negative environmental impact, when used properly. From a religious perspective, communications technology helps to spread the message religions' want to express. Overall, we know and can do a lot more in less time and with less resources.
Sounds pretty good, right? But there is a really big negative side. What if we don't want to to be expert in just one or a few subjects? I've definitely seen some push back from our society here. People want to make to survive again (Etsy.com, case in point). People, myself included, are tired of spending all day in front of a computer. Society, and women in particular, and demanding a new type of lifestyle - one that allows them to be spread among many things, not pegged to a singular profession. Working from home is great, but do I really want to decide between attending to my baby crying and my Blackberry beeping? When companies make the things we eat, wear, and live in, there are shortcuts taken and quality lost. There is distrust between these parties, the market for lemons. We are getting fatter and lazier - we don't have to lift our garage door, unlock our cars, go to the post office, etc. And then, there is my biggest worry, my biggest fear for my child. The addictive side of technology.
Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to not get online, turn on the TV, put your cell phone down, or not play the next level in your video game? I am just as guilty as the majority, but it drives me bonkers! Companies have a very vested interest in making new technologies more and more addictive, or making customers feel like we can't function properly without them. I really miss spending time reading something not on my computer screen, being outdoors for hours at a time, and spending more face-to-face time with folks that I love. Passive entertainment is not stimulating us or our children in the best ways. And what about the lack of censorship or societal "mores" online - e.g., the ubitquitous nature of pornography? In addition, we might be amusing ourselves to death—spiritual death. How can we feel the Spirit with the TV in the background?
Aaron and I cancelled our internet connection a few months ago, with the idea that we would go "internet-free" at home. That effort quickly failed, since we can pick up a neighbor's connection, and we are taking online classes/have work to do at night. Recently, we decided to go "technology-free" one night and one day of the week. Hopefully, we can make this work! I feel really strongly that we need to set a good example for our child. Technology is a wonderful thing, when used properly and in moderation. But, often, I long for a more life without it altogether. I would love to learn to make to survive. I would love a simple life with more talking, less watching.
What about you?
2 comments:
Great thoughts! I canceled facebook, that was a start for me. It was hard, as that was sometimes the only connection I have with loved ones. I'm sure glad you use the technology to blog, though! 'Til your next blog!
Great ideas. I love the thought of growing my own food and trying to eat healthier food with out additives. Someday I plan to grow most of my fruits and vegetables. Gardenig has become so much fun for me and if I knew I could be successful I would make it my career. I wish sometimes we could go back to the time when life was simple and people did more outside and talked as you said. I guess I just have a bad habit of dreaming in the past and that is unrealistic these days. I don’t know if anyone now could survive with no electronics or internet.
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