My Computer is Dead!

Technology is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because I have access to many things. It's a curse because I'm so attached to it. I'm willing to wait until Per gets home (three days) and hopefully fixes it. That means I have no computer until then and my blog posts for at least the next three days will be done from my iPad.

It's kind of a relief to have no computer because my time and attention turn to other things instead of me sitting at my computer giving my time and attention to things that don't really matter.

I like being connected to people on Facebook but without my computer I can still be connected by the telephone. Granted, I only stay in touch with my friends and even though Facebook calls people my 'friends' are they really or just acquaintances?

Having no computer gives me a dose of reality. I remember life before Facebook and even technology ... Life when we did things with people, not just chatted with them on FaceTime ... Life when we talked to a physical person, not just texted them ... Life when we had experiences, not just pinned wished experiences to our board.

When I think about it certain technology makes me isolated and lonely. I'm glad that my computer died because if it hadn't I wouldn't have thought about this. Having no computer makes me think this, connect with people in person.

Using Facebook Again

I'm torn as to how to stay connected with my friends and family. On the one hand, people talk to each other on Facebook, but I don't want Facebook to determine what I do, therefore I'm willing to not use it. On the other hand, if I don't use Facebook, I won't know what's happening. People are most important to me and the thought of not talking to them is torture; therefore, I've decided to use Facebook again.

The scenario of not using Facebook reminds me of when I stopped using my iPhone for a year and started using my older phone because I didn't want to pay the data fee the phone company required me to have. At the time, I stopped using my iPhone and felt out of the loop for twelve months. (Eventually, my friends stopped texting me because I didn't text them back...because texting on that phone was hard. Also, I stopped texting my family for the same reason.)

I stopped using the current technology (my iPhone) because I didn't like something, and it made things worse. I felt so happy when I returned to my iPhone because, once again, I could communicate. (In thinking about my Facebook dilemma I realize that I may not like how things are, but I need to consider what's most important to me and not stop using it when I don't like something.)

Not Using Facebook

I think I'll stop using Facebook and give people their privacy. I don't want to know who's doing what. I realize that having an account with Facebook is keeping up with the times, but it is also taking up my time when I look at it. I'll still have a Facebook account so people will know how to reach me; but they'll have to send me an email if they want to say something. I'll also still post my blog to Facebook, I just won't go onto Facebook.

I like email. I like that if someone wants to email me...they can, and if I want to read their email...I can. In some cases, email has been replaced by Facebook messages. Facebook has also replaced sending many photos and videos through email. Facebook keeps changing and is telling more and more of peoples activities. I don't want to know what article a person looked at or what picture they're tagged in, and I don't want people to know what I do. (Since I'm going to quit using Facebook, I probably won't get a lot of news about my friends, unless they send me an email.)

I wish people used email as much as Facebook but society progresses and doesn't go backward. I'm going backward for my own sanity. I just want to be myself; not so public.

The Evolution of Technology

I created a Pintrest account the other day. The application allows me to collect images, websites, recipes, etc. that I like and anyone who views my page can see it. I like how my likes are visible to the world because maybe someone will like something that I found and pin it to their wall...thing...or whatever it's called. Someone told me, "if you pin things you like, then I'll know your style." I thought, "why don't I just tell you?" It seems like as the world evolves, people talk to each other less. People appear to be more comfortable talking to each other through technology than in person. I envision people in the future never talking to each other and saying, "if you want to know me, look at my page."

I can see a day where the only people one talks to are those within their family. Parent's talk to their children to teach them how to speak. Siblings talk to each other and develop strong bonds from spending so much time together. Then parents give their children smart phones or computers and they talk to people through chat or social media. Children grow up and feel more comfortable talking to people through technology. Then they say, "if you want to know me, look at my page."

It seems like in the future, languages will exist but will only be spoken within the family and maybe with close friends otherwise, they'll be written. I don't have to talk to cashiers now because after they scan my items, I pay for them by swiping my card. Technology is advancing so quickly that I can't keep up with it; nor do I want to. I feel old and I'm only in my 40's. Things change (evolve) and I find myself wanting to hang on to what I know. I don't want to evolve, I want to stay the way I am, after all why fix what isn't broken?

Parents: Have Faith in Your Kids

Technology evolves every day. It's good because it introduces people to new things, but it's bad because kids give it more attention than before. Parents want their kids to have their values but technology is replacing their teaching in some ways. 

It really has to do with money and morality. The main question companies ask themselves is: "How can I make the most money? (and I don't care if it's right or not.)" Kids play into their hands because they don't know better. Kids need to listen to caution (which is usually what their parents do-because of experience) but caution is boring to kids. Kids used to do two things: 1) They listened to their parents, and 2) they did the right thing. In today's world I see a trend forming where a lot of kids do neither.

The inclination of some parents is to get rid of everything that could harm their kids. That action won't solve the problem of their kids not listening to them. I wonder why parents think their kids would increase their interaction after they eliminate the things their kids like. The fact is, today's kids live in a technological world whether their parents like it or not. It doesn't help kids when their technology is taken away and they are forced to live in a past time. I don't think parents want to knowingly handicap their kids and make them social outcasts but that's what happens when they take away what other kids have. 

One day kids are going to live in society, but if they don't know how to do normal things, then society will think they're weird. I believe parents want their children to succeed, they don't want to punish them, but they are scared. I understand this fear because when I raised kids I wanted to live in a technological world, but I also wanted my kids to listen to me. 

The positive outcome I see is parents teaching their kids as much as they can, and then BELIEVING they'll make right choices. Kids want to do right things but they also want to choose for themselves. Often, kids don't know what the right thing is. Their parents can teach them but then they need to step back and let their kids decide. When a kid makes a mistake they will eventually correct their error (because of experience) but they want to know that their parents love them no matter what they do. Every kid wants to know that their parents believe in their ability to make good decisions - they want to believe that their parents have faith in them.

It's risky for parents to trust their kids because they are so young and inexperienced. But when a kid falls flat on their face because they chose wrong, they learn and eventually think "I'm not going to make that mistake again!" It's hard (sometimes heartbreaking) for parents to watch their kids make mistakes.  Parents want to save their kids from hurting so they force their choice on kids, but kids want to choose for themselves.

Parents of the past said "you should" and made kids feel guilty.  Kids conformed because they wanted to do the right thing-at that time, the popular action. Some of today's kids hear "you should" and think "I won't." They don't want to feel guilty so they stop doing what their parents say and instead listen to their friends or strangers.

I believe that if parents want their kids in their life (without their kids holding a grudge or feeling animosity) parents will stop making their kids feel guilty and instead have faith in them.

Wanting to be Prepared

Much of my life now depends on the internet. I write in my journal and blog online. I look up what I need to know on Google. I am entertained by online music, movies, and Facebook.

I realized my dependence on technology when I didn't have access to the World Wide Web. I was not able to use the Internet, or update my blog(s), or basically use my computer, for three days. I tried to fix the problem but couldn't. Because of this, my life, more or less, stopped. I found myself doing things at 9am that I normally did at noon because I wasn't on the computer.

My extra time caused me to think philosophically. I thought about my dependency. I considered how what I had once done was not what I did now. Technology made my life easier but it also handicapped me in that it did for me what I once did.

For example, balancing my checkbook and writing checks. Checks got replaced with my ATM card. Instead of paying for things with a check (or second guessing my purchase,) I handed the cashier my ATM card.

Other things had also changed including: 1) No longer receiving paper bills, 2) Receiving electronic receipts, and  3) Using electronic mail. My bills came to me electronically and I paid them the same way. I no longer received a lot of paper receipts because, for the most part, receipts were sent to me electronically, and I sent much more email than "snail" (regular) mail. (I have a Yahoo! email account and if they went out of business I'd be in a world of hurt.)

My car has a computer. So does my washer and dryer. In fact, so do most of the appliances in my house. If they don't have computers, they're at least digital. My furnace and air conditioning are controlled by an electronic thermostat. And my TV is HD.

Most of the things in my life exist for my comfort. They make my life easier, but I don't "need" them. I can exist if they're not there. If I want to be radical, all I really need are the basics - food, shelter, and heat. Everything else exists for my comfort and I like them but they're not necessary.

I never waste my time dwelling on what ifs, but realizing my dependence on technology and what could happen if the things I'm used to are taken away make me feel concerned and to want my life before technology.

I'm comfortable because of technology but can see how I've given control to the companies with whom I do business. My control also means my freedom. I used to direct most of the things in my life. Now, companies do that. They say "for your comfort" but what they really mean is "for us to call the shots in your life".

I don't want to radically give up all technology - because I like comfort and staying with the times. But my realization has helped me to know what I will and won't do. I am willing to live without technology (if necessary)  and luckily, I remember life "before." (I know I can handle it if something happens to permanently cause me to live in the past.)

I want to be prepared for any situation I face. Therefore I want to know how to do things the old way - just in case.