Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Gadgets and Geeks
Merry Christmas!
There. Got that out of the way. No one can point an accusing finger at me for being a curmudgeon this year.
A recent Sunday edition of the Minneapolis Star & Tribune (Newspaper to the free world!) contained an interesting if somewhat breathless story of the explosion of media entertainment screens and gadgets in the modern household. It seems the average American home now has more screens than children. (With some people I know, that might be a good thing.)
http://www.startribune.com/459/story/833974.html
It's become a multimedia world, with TV's, computers, Gameboys, Blackberrys, Cellphones, even navigation screens in the newest generation of luxury cars all vying for our attention and affection. People are more connected than ever before, and it's only going to get better. (Or worse, depending on your point of view.)
Now don't get me wrong here. I am as much a techie as anyone. I was one of the first of my social group to get a computer for the home (IBM-XT 1991) and hook it up to the internet. (AOL-1993) I was using a computer when DOS was the OS of choice for users like me.
I've owned VCR's and stereos over the years, and enjoyed using them. I've since graduated to a DVD recorder with home theater sound, and I really enjoy that. (I chose the DVD recorder over a DVR because I wanted the ability to burn my recordings onto a disk and keep them.) I will admit to possibly being one of the last to own a cell phone because I found other people using them in public highly annoying and I didn't want to be "one of those." I finally got one when my oldest son got tired of trying to get hold of me when he wanted and bought it for me. I admit it's an extremely handy device that I use much more than I thought I would.
But an interesting thing happened to me some time ago. A friend, who shall remain nameless, kept calling my cell phone number. I had been driving around the area, performing a few mundane tasks, but also enjoying some quiet time and listening to some really loud woman sing opera on the radio. I was also considering making a batch of really bad chili. I reached home, and was immediately greeted by the land line ringing, with said friend on the other end, in a somewhat irate state of mind. "Why didn't you answer your cell phone!" "I didn't have it on!" "Well dammit! Leave it on! I needed to reach you!" "Who died?" "No one!" Who's injured?" "No one?" "So no one died, and no one's injured?" "No!" Right then, I proceeded to set him straight with the facts. Those facts are that this cell phone is on when I WANT it to be on, and not a second more. It serves me at my pleasure. I DO NOT serve it. In other words, I will answer the thing when I am damned-good-and-ready. Not a second before. Period.
He was silent. He honestly didn't know what to make of that for a minute.
See, here's the thing. We make these machines. They don't make us. All these things have off switches. I think it would do all of us some good to turn them all off, and pick up a good book. Or go for a quiet walk. (WITHOUT the IPOD!!) Or just sit on the porch with a good cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Like I said earlier, I'm not anti-gadget. Quite the opposite. After all, I didn't name this Blog "Musings Of A Technonerd" for nothing. I love a good gadget as much as the next geek. The trick, you see, is knowing when to turn them off, put them down and devote some time, love and attention to the important things in your life. Like your spouse, or your kids, or your dog, or whatever. That takes some discipline. But I think it's easy to do once you get into the habit. Give it a try. You might be surprised at what you discover.
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ..."
Isaac Asimov
There. Got that out of the way. No one can point an accusing finger at me for being a curmudgeon this year.
A recent Sunday edition of the Minneapolis Star & Tribune (Newspaper to the free world!) contained an interesting if somewhat breathless story of the explosion of media entertainment screens and gadgets in the modern household. It seems the average American home now has more screens than children. (With some people I know, that might be a good thing.)
http://www.startribune.com/459/story/833974.html
It's become a multimedia world, with TV's, computers, Gameboys, Blackberrys, Cellphones, even navigation screens in the newest generation of luxury cars all vying for our attention and affection. People are more connected than ever before, and it's only going to get better. (Or worse, depending on your point of view.)
Now don't get me wrong here. I am as much a techie as anyone. I was one of the first of my social group to get a computer for the home (IBM-XT 1991) and hook it up to the internet. (AOL-1993) I was using a computer when DOS was the OS of choice for users like me.
I've owned VCR's and stereos over the years, and enjoyed using them. I've since graduated to a DVD recorder with home theater sound, and I really enjoy that. (I chose the DVD recorder over a DVR because I wanted the ability to burn my recordings onto a disk and keep them.) I will admit to possibly being one of the last to own a cell phone because I found other people using them in public highly annoying and I didn't want to be "one of those." I finally got one when my oldest son got tired of trying to get hold of me when he wanted and bought it for me. I admit it's an extremely handy device that I use much more than I thought I would.
But an interesting thing happened to me some time ago. A friend, who shall remain nameless, kept calling my cell phone number. I had been driving around the area, performing a few mundane tasks, but also enjoying some quiet time and listening to some really loud woman sing opera on the radio. I was also considering making a batch of really bad chili. I reached home, and was immediately greeted by the land line ringing, with said friend on the other end, in a somewhat irate state of mind. "Why didn't you answer your cell phone!" "I didn't have it on!" "Well dammit! Leave it on! I needed to reach you!" "Who died?" "No one!" Who's injured?" "No one?" "So no one died, and no one's injured?" "No!" Right then, I proceeded to set him straight with the facts. Those facts are that this cell phone is on when I WANT it to be on, and not a second more. It serves me at my pleasure. I DO NOT serve it. In other words, I will answer the thing when I am damned-good-and-ready. Not a second before. Period.
He was silent. He honestly didn't know what to make of that for a minute.
See, here's the thing. We make these machines. They don't make us. All these things have off switches. I think it would do all of us some good to turn them all off, and pick up a good book. Or go for a quiet walk. (WITHOUT the IPOD!!) Or just sit on the porch with a good cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Like I said earlier, I'm not anti-gadget. Quite the opposite. After all, I didn't name this Blog "Musings Of A Technonerd" for nothing. I love a good gadget as much as the next geek. The trick, you see, is knowing when to turn them off, put them down and devote some time, love and attention to the important things in your life. Like your spouse, or your kids, or your dog, or whatever. That takes some discipline. But I think it's easy to do once you get into the habit. Give it a try. You might be surprised at what you discover.
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ..."
Isaac Asimov
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A friend, who shall remain nameless, kept calling my cell phone number.
I don't have your number!!
I shared (and still do) your distaste for a cell phone. Why should I pay some turkey x amount a month for something I MIGHT use five minutes a month?
For me, the answer came when my truck quit on a lonely stretch of road out in the boonies of Michigan. But mine is only going to be on when I leave the house, and usually, I forget to turn it on then. And, I'm also stingy with my number. Nobody that is not related to God, or her family, gets it! I will call you!
The people who allow the gadgets to control their lives amaze me.
This post should be on the front of the NYT, but it might not make it past the censors, as it contains vast volumes of common sense.
I don't have your number!!
I shared (and still do) your distaste for a cell phone. Why should I pay some turkey x amount a month for something I MIGHT use five minutes a month?
For me, the answer came when my truck quit on a lonely stretch of road out in the boonies of Michigan. But mine is only going to be on when I leave the house, and usually, I forget to turn it on then. And, I'm also stingy with my number. Nobody that is not related to God, or her family, gets it! I will call you!
The people who allow the gadgets to control their lives amaze me.
This post should be on the front of the NYT, but it might not make it past the censors, as it contains vast volumes of common sense.
# posted by 
: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 1:57:00 AM
: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 1:57:00 AM
what- are you afraid of o'reilly? happy holidays!!!! :) i leave my phone on all of the time but use the ignore button liberally. i hate talking on the phone. i used to screen my calls when i had a landline. point is well taken that we should not be slaves to technology. unfortunately, i seem to be addicted to the internet. :)
Betmo, you and my Grandfather would have gotten along fine. He detested telephones. He always said "How can you have a decent conversation with someone without being able to look them in the eyes??"
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