Once upon a time
Once upon a time…
We were just plain people. But that was before we began having relationships with mechanical systems. Get involved with a machine and sooner or later you are reduced to a factor.
- Ellen Goodman, “The Human Factor,” The Washington Post, January 1987
This is such a true statement. In today’s day and age, most of us (including me) depend on our mechanical or electronic systems and devices. Examples would be our laptops, computers, cell phones, palm pilots, pagers, etc.
I wonder how many of my readers would go bonkers without access to any or all of the normal every day use of technology type items?
I know personally that I’d go a little bonkers without at least having my cell phone or Palm Pilot handy. I don’t even really remember phone numbers anymore since I’ve started using my Palm and cell phone thanks to speed dialing.
I use to have a hand written phone book that I would check for numbers and then have to hand dial them which also helped me remember frequently called numbers.
Granted, I still remember some phone numbers and I have a printed backup just incase but I think you get my point. Most modern middle class people can’t live today without some sort of technology device.
Here’s an idea. How about we all give up at least one technology item for 24-48 hours? If you’re game, post a comment and let me know what that item will be and then check back in 24-48 hours letting me and my other readers know how you did.
Ok, ready set go!
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15 Responses to “Once upon a time”
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I going to give up computers for 120 hours!
I’m going away for a short holiday and there will be no laptop either. I shall have my phone and camera but that is all and maybe my mp3 player.
How will I cope
Be sure to check back once you return to let me know how you survived.
I agree. I would go crazy without technology but I am up for the challenge. After this post, I will turn off my Apple iPod and won’t turn it back on for 24 hours.
I’ll take it a step further and won’t listen to any music on my computer, however I might listen to music in my car on the way to work but it will be just boring old radio stuff, no cd’s or mp3’s. This is going to be tough.
Good luck Ian. Giving up good music for 24 hours is going to be really hard. My local area radio stations don’t play much of anything I like anymore so I’m lucky enough to be able to play mp3’s and cd’s in my car. Hang in. You can do it.
I always try to avoid using computers over the weekend unless absolutely necessary. It can be annoying for other people if they’re trying to get in touch but then they can always contact me on my phone.
It makes catching up on Mondays that more meaningful!
Hi Gareth. Good job on taking a break from technolgy on the weekends. How long did it take before you were ok with it and not itching to get on the computer?
It depends on the time of the year; sometimes I have projects I *must* get on with over the weekends, and as much as I can do a fair bit of work on paper (UML, code design etc) there will eventually be a point where I’ll need to use a computer.
Other times, such as the summer when things are traditionally a bit quieter, I find it not so hard. Sometimes it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in the Internet, gaming, programming - whatever gets you going - and forget that there’s a whole world out there!
It took me a fair while to get used to at first, but once you stop being ‘bored’ and itching to get back on to a computer there’s so many other things to fill your time with.
If I weren’t waiting on a relatively important text message, I’d give up my cell phone. That probably doesn’t mean too much though, as I’ve held maybe two conversations on it in as many months. Hell, I left it off for an entire week or so sometime earlier this summer. Really, my cell is just used like a watch with ambitions…
I’m not going to give up any of my music players. I have a daily commute of 2+ hours with only a radio. Nope, my car can’t play CDs or mp3s, or even tapes, so you’re not taking away any of my other music.
Hey Luke. You must have some electronic thing you can give up? How about not playing with a game console for 24-48 hours?
Since you have a radio in your car, it should be easy to give up a music player for 24 hours. A radio is better then nothing.
C’mon, suck it up
you can do it.
I was forced to give up my computer for 72 hours because as you know I moved on the weekend and the cable people came on Monday to set me up again…
I missed it, of course…but then again even if I had access, I still was way too busy to be online…giving up my cellphone is easier for me because I only use it in emergencies and mostly use my land line for all important calls
Hi Karen. 72 hours without using your computer. Good job. Now that you’re back on, how do you feel being on it again? Will you be making up for it with an all night internet session?
Actually, on the days when I do have that big commute (only on school days, and the fall term doesn’t start for two more weeks) I usually don’t take my ipod with me. Also, it’s been about a week since I last played a video game. And until last night, it had been at least the same amount of time since I turned on my DVD player.
And I want to see you try picking up deadwood for hours in an apple orchard by yourself with no music. It’s bad enough that I can’t have music when I’m working in the machine shop (chopsaws and lathes are loud, imagine that)…
I don’t even own a MP3 player
Mobile Phone, PC, Laptop. I think that’s all my tech right there. I don’t use my mobile except for when I really need to, I’m lazy like that
I couldn’t do without my sweet computer,
internet is great.
But I could do well without a pc some time if necessary. 48? 72?
Well I’m back and did miss the thing like crazy!
Makes you wonder how we managed before.