Photo by Karen (of course)
1) Almost immediate contact with anyone in my family. Bethany is in Toronto and Nathan is in Port Townsend and Zachary is all over the place right here in Dallas. Doesn’t matter. If I have a question or a comment, I can get it to them instantaneously. That applies to my extended family. And my friends. I think you had to have lived before such communication devices existed to realize what an incredible miracle (and blessing) this is.
2) By adjunct, no more long distance. People today don’t even know who Ma Bell is! Long ago, my middle son lived in Berlin for seven years. He came home once for two weeks at Christmas, but he had a girlfriend in Germany. When I got my phone bill in January, it was close to $1000. I protested vigorously, explaining that my son had gone insane ; ). No dice.
3) News and information. Believe it or not, I can remember driving to the library to find something out. And way more often than that, just not knowing whatever I was wondering about. Now I can find out just about anything that crosses my mind while I’m sitting in this chair. Another miracle.
4) Entertainment options. We used to have three major networks and, in metropolitan areas, a local station or two. Now we have almost unlimited options. And with skill you can completely avoid the commercials! Movies? The at-home experience is in many ways (comfort, convenience, selection) superior to the moviehouse experience. I’m surprised theaters haven’t gone out of business. They will.
5) Again by adjunct, music streaming services. We can listen to just about anything, from way back in our past to what came out today. At my most musically zealous age, I probably didn’t buy more than two albums a month (not counting garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets). For the same cost, I can listen to everything. And no storage hassles.
6) The GPS. I add this one for my wife (although, in fairness, I use it all the time too). She was not gifted with a sharp sense of direction. But she can where she wants when she wants—and we no longer have to pull over and ask some stranger for directions (geez, I used to hate that!).
7) Alexa and Siri. Why do I feel guilty about admitting this one? I guess because both gals make me feel so lazy! I no longer set an alarm, or reach for a dictionary, or listen to a weather forecast, or look up a score or statistic or schedule, or make a bet without finding out immediately if I’ve won or lost it. They make everything easier.
8) Texting. In the way back when, I used to tell my students that even if I won the lottery, I would never own a cell phone…until I got one. Then I told them, alright, it’s convenient, but I promise you I will never text. Haha…now it’s my preferred method of communication. I’ve never been much of a phone talker—but it is so great to get your question answered or your schedule confirmed or your opinion stated without going through the rigmarole of a conversation.
9) Fantasy sports. I am not a video game player. Never have been, never will be. But this is not a holier-than-thou statement. I have my own brand of time-wasting. I come from a family of sports fans (at least on the male side). Fantasy just ratchets up the level of engagement. I’m not defending it—I’m just saying it’s fun.
10) Facebook. Like everyone, I get ambivalent about this one. But so many people have passed through my life, like former students and colleagues, and friends from Upper Darby, and Ste. Genevieve, and Schertz, and the Bandit, and eventually Frisco—it has been a pleasure to hear a word from them and get a glimpse into their lives as they go on—even if it’s not a very in-depth view.
11) Yeah, I added one: $. It might not seem like it, with the cost of cell phones and laptops and notebooks and all the paraphernalia and all the services that go with them. But take another look at my list…if time is money and money is money, you are getting a boatload for what you pay.
Addition: Before Karen even read it, she asked me where I put Photos on my list—and I forgot them! (I think that over 50% of her technological involvement has to do with photos.) And I have to admit, photography has been completely transformed by technology, and in a people accessible way that is good for us all. So that’s #12.
Although I too rail about the dehumanizing effect and sense of isolation and glorification of violence and preoccupation with self that our technological toys can engender, my list makes me realize they can be pretty wonderful too. I suppose it is up to us to be wise in how we use them.
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