Stop and think a minute. Can you imagine your life without a computer or a cell phone?
For many people these days, the answer is no. Let’s face it – those two electronic devices are the beating heart of society today. We’ve crossed the threshold of the 21st century and can no longer deny the fact that technology rules our lives.
However, with as many benefits as technology provides, we are so dependent on it that we can hardly imagine life without it anymore, and that is frightening. With a new school year beginning, it is important to think about just how much we take technology for granted. Since we have become so accustomed to its constant presence, we are too often blind to its downfalls.
We depend on technology in a myriad of ways. There are computers in grocery stores, restaurants, classrooms and libraries. Occasionally, when I’m in Safeway or Target, I can’t help but think how catastrophic it would be if the computers were to suddenly crash. Without them, we would be unable to purchase our groceries. Gone are the days of simply trading animal fur for food.
We are also quick to use computers to swiftly find information on the Internet, and to connect with other people via e-mail and chat. However, as helpful as computers are these days in making what would otherwise be long and arduous processes much easier, other problems can easily arise. We trust computers to always work when we need them to, and when they don’t it’s a calamity. Networks go down, and computers fail. Then what?
Cell phones hold similar benefits, but also similar downfalls. Many people of various ages carry cell phones everywhere, talking on the subway, in the car and in the mall. Phone companies have designed cell phones to fit nearly every need. Cell phones have also been customized for various age groups, from children to teens to adults to the simple Jitterbug phone for senior citizens.
I hardly ever leave home without my cell.
Though cell phones do allow people to stay connected, they don’t work all of the time. Phone towers are prone to problems, and then there are the dead zones where no one can get service. On top of that, how annoying is it when you’re riding the bus and the person behind you is yammering on his or her phone for more than an hour? I can think of more pleasant things to listen to.
I’m the kind of person who watches movies like “Pride and Prejudice,” “A Knight’s Tale” and “The Three Musketeers,” wishing I could transport myself back in time, away from the hassles of the overwhelming amount of gizmos and gadgets galore. When issues arise with my cell phone or computer, I can’t help but think how much easier life would be without them.
One of my run-ins with faulty technology occurred recently. Cell phone owners fear incidents like these, especially considering our never-ending desire for continual connection. Last Thursday afternoon, I unhappily discovered that I was unable to make or receive calls. I tried turning my phone on and off multiple times, taking the battery out, and even shaking it. Nothing worked. I wasn’t even able to call my service provider until later that evening because I had to find a friend who was willing to let me use her phone for the hour it took to troubleshoot the problem with an AT&T customer service operator.
Though I eventually worked out the issue and was able to seamlessly use my cell phone the following day, the incident opened my eyes and made me think about how pathetically dependent I have become on my phone.
Certainly, there are many pros to having a computer and a cell phone. Cell phones not only help us stay in touch, but they enable us to call for help when we’re in danger. They can be lifesavers. Computers might not always be the most reliable devices, but they are capable of storing mass quantities of information that we can filter through in a matter of seconds. Even the simplest gadgets, like calculators, make life easier.
But what really irks me is when people allow these “useful commodities” to consume their lives. For instance, when I go out to eat with a friend, I expect to have, for the most part, his or her full attention. Maybe this is too much to ask, but do they really need to be having a full texting conversation while we’re trying to chat in person? Call me old school, but I think that’s just a little rude.
In spite of all the convenience computers and cell phones provide, they are often more trouble than they are worth. There are days when I want to ditch the laptop and the phone for good. When my computer is barely chugging along like molasses in the dead of winter because my wireless Internet is stubborn and slow, or when I can’t detach myself from Facebook, the most addictive and evil invention ever, I really do, for a fleeting moment, wish that computers had never been invented. I’m not saying everyone should chuck their computers and cell phones out the window – just remind yourself every so often that these devices should be used for convenience, and not so much as crutches.
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