The Conservative Luddite
The Conservative Luddite
I grew up in an apartment complex in Brooklyn, NY. This was long before smartphones, flat screen televisions, even before cable tv and video games. The most grand piece of technology I can remember growing up was the microwave oven which back then was the size of a regular oven. I have much gratitude for being able to grow up and experience these times prior to the technological renaissance and actually have a degree sympathy for those reared in these times of technology. They have no idea what they are missing out on.
The first television station is the U.S. was founded in 1928. The first commercial didn't come until 1941. Televisions wouldn't become mainstream until the fifties. Now we have smartphones (which didn't arrive until 2007) that are more powerful than the Apollo spacecrafts that put man on the moon.
Although crime wasn't too bad where I grew up it was far worse than it is today. You wouldn't be able to tell by most polls. People generally believe crime is bad and rising even though crime in just about every measurable metric has been steadily decreasing since 1993. (Blame technology for that) As a kid I would go outside and play and my parents would have no clue where I was. There was no fear about my safety or well being. On the weekends it wasn't uncommon for me to go outside at eight in the morning and not see or speak to my parents until dinner time. Those were the days.
I didn't get my first cell phone until I was twenty-five years old. I had a beeper when I was nineteen. Fifty-one percent of children from the ages 6-13 have their own cell phones. I was break dancing, playing baseball, hot peas and butter, kickball, and skelly at that age.
I am as big a fan of technology as anyone but recognize its negatives as well. It can be addictive for a variety of reasons. I credit spending the first half of my life without the perils of technology for being able to create balance today. I can't help but wonder if the youth raised on technology today will be able to navigate this as well.
I use text messaging today, but prefer to speak and have a conversation. I use social media but greatly prefer to spend time with friends in person. I pay my bills online and still wish I didn't have them. Ok, that last statement was of no relevance to technology. My point is that there are times where technology is beneficial and actually preferred but it's use should not come at the expense of important social interactions or get in the way of developing those things that will always be relevant in society which seems to be the case with advancements and the creation of all these apps. Only time will tell what the future holds but I see patterns developing that don't bode well for technological independence. Technology is here to serve us and make our lives easier but it seems that the inverse is happening and most of us are not even aware of that being the case.
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
I grew up in an apartment complex in Brooklyn, NY. This was long before smartphones, flat screen televisions, even before cable tv and video games. The most grand piece of technology I can remember growing up was the microwave oven which back then was the size of a regular oven. I have much gratitude for being able to grow up and experience these times prior to the technological renaissance and actually have a degree sympathy for those reared in these times of technology. They have no idea what they are missing out on.
The first television station is the U.S. was founded in 1928. The first commercial didn't come until 1941. Televisions wouldn't become mainstream until the fifties. Now we have smartphones (which didn't arrive until 2007) that are more powerful than the Apollo spacecrafts that put man on the moon.
Although crime wasn't too bad where I grew up it was far worse than it is today. You wouldn't be able to tell by most polls. People generally believe crime is bad and rising even though crime in just about every measurable metric has been steadily decreasing since 1993. (Blame technology for that) As a kid I would go outside and play and my parents would have no clue where I was. There was no fear about my safety or well being. On the weekends it wasn't uncommon for me to go outside at eight in the morning and not see or speak to my parents until dinner time. Those were the days.
I didn't get my first cell phone until I was twenty-five years old. I had a beeper when I was nineteen. Fifty-one percent of children from the ages 6-13 have their own cell phones. I was break dancing, playing baseball, hot peas and butter, kickball, and skelly at that age.
I am as big a fan of technology as anyone but recognize its negatives as well. It can be addictive for a variety of reasons. I credit spending the first half of my life without the perils of technology for being able to create balance today. I can't help but wonder if the youth raised on technology today will be able to navigate this as well.
I use text messaging today, but prefer to speak and have a conversation. I use social media but greatly prefer to spend time with friends in person. I pay my bills online and still wish I didn't have them. Ok, that last statement was of no relevance to technology. My point is that there are times where technology is beneficial and actually preferred but it's use should not come at the expense of important social interactions or get in the way of developing those things that will always be relevant in society which seems to be the case with advancements and the creation of all these apps. Only time will tell what the future holds but I see patterns developing that don't bode well for technological independence. Technology is here to serve us and make our lives easier but it seems that the inverse is happening and most of us are not even aware of that being the case.
#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset
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