“It can always be better,” Anonymous
I have a confession to make; I’m guilty of being annoyed at computers for not loading fast enough, and complaining about how boring airplanes are.
Then again, we all have, right?
Every single technology out there is destined to be obsolete one day, if it hasn’t already been. New car models come out every year, and new computers, IPods, and other technologies are developing at a very scary rate. Back then, no one would have said that cellphones could one day be described as “mini-computers”, and that television would have life-like quality. Every single newfangled gadget out there is dated; even holographic televisions and floating cars won’t seem so amazing after they’re made because we’re always going to be striving for something better.
Lots of people talk about how “the good ol’ days” were, and about how our generation is rather unappreciative. The truth is that we’re not really an unappreciative generation – I think – but that we just have no idea what life was without today’s technology. By growing up in the world that we’re in, I don’t know what life was like back then. I can’t appreciate the easiness of today’s phones because I have never used yesterday’s phones. For me, colour television is a norm because I have never had to watch a black-and-white TV. We’re not really a “crappy generation of idiots” who just don’t care, maybe we’re just unknowing.
So since we don’t know what life was like back then, it’s gotten to the point where we can’t live without technology. Does anyone still remember that blackout of 2003? I still have memories of making an outdoor fire and not being able to use the computer, the telephone, and the television. While it wasn’t too bad for me, some people couldn’t use the subway and were stranded in downtown, while some businesses suddenly shut down for a while. The blackout informed us that we have begun to depend on technology so much that we cannot return to “primitive” standards and expect to survive.
Then again, during that same blackout, I spent a lot of technology-free, pure family time, and
now I realise that we managed to get along well without our precious technology.
So what’s the moral of this entire story? Well, if we have to depend on our technology, then we can at least be appreciative of it. I have a newfound appreciation of today’s technology; I’m happy with today’s technology, and I think I’m going to be using it for a long time to come. It’s ok to strive for something better, but we need to realise that technology was always a bonus for humanity anyway. It can always be better, but it’s good enough.
(Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. Originally published on December 30, 1990.)P.S. On Youtube, search up the (rather primitive-looking) Spider-Man cartoon theme from the 80s. As the text at the beginning says, it’s in color!
4 comments:
Hey Jed! I really enjoyed your entry when you explained technology and how its advancing at a quick rate - in a blink of an eye there are new gadgets that are being released every few months or so. I'd also like to point out when you started talking about the blackout that occured during the summer of 2003. I remember that day clearly as well. I was stuck at home and there was almost nothing I could use that needed power. So I had to resort to other resources such as candles for light and gas burners to cook food and boil water.
When you also said:
"Some couldn't use the use the subway and were stranded in downtown, while some businesses suddenly shut down for a while. The blackout informed us that we have begun to depend on technology so much that we cannot return to "primitive" standards and expect to survive."
I too realized how dependent everyone has become when technology was introduced. I can't lie because it has made life much easier, but at the same time it caused us to forget the basics of living and other alternates to go to when the power goes out.
I liked how you expressed your views on our generation being 'unappreciative'. You raised a very good point.. we haven't experienced how it was like without the stuff we have today, so we just keep on complaining about them.
I agree that we should stop focusing on what our gadgets CAN'T do and appreciate the fact that it has made our lives easier.
Awesome post! (y)
Jed you have alot of great points and I totally agree with you on this.
It's true, technology is growing much fast than we can say the word itself.
Jed,
Great post! I enjoyed reading it and your experiences of the 2003 Blackout. I also liked your perspective on Louis C.K's phrase that we're a "crappy generation"
Awesome Blog!
-Priscilla
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