Monday, February 14, 2011

Technology, when is it too much?

          I grew up in the country. We didn't have AC, we heated the house in the winter with a wood burning stove. For as far back as I can remember I helped bring the fire wood in. We didn't have very good TV reception and only got 2 channels on rabbit ears on the TV in my parents room. We did have a VCR and a Sega Genesis. I watched a lot of Disney movie and I can only remember playing Sonic and Tails every now and then. We finally got satellite when I was 14. We also got a DVD player around then. Most people had already had those too. We had computers. It started with one and then my dad built more! I didn't even know about cell phones until 2000. Car phones where still a big thing to me! Game Boys where popular and I never touched one. I was perfectly content with the low tech country life. I played outside. I read books. I made things. I interacted. I didn't sit with my face glued to a personal game device or phone. 
          Now being a mom I want my children to grow up like that. So much easier said than done. First of all we do partake of *what I think are* luxuries such as AC, cable TV, Internet, and cell phones. In today's society these are things that most people say they can do without. We can if we have to. I do however feel kids today need to put down the personal devices. Between seeing teens who won't stop texting, kids playing personal games while out to dinner, and seeing a family sitting in a restaurant not even talking to one another because they each had some sort of technology in their hands, I'm worried for our kids. I don't think you need to take them away altogether because they are handy at times. I do however believe we need to take them out of our hands and realize there are people and things around us we are missing out on. It worries me to see kids who get bored without technology. Why can't we just talk to those who are with us instead of texting everyone else we know? My Mom's one friend (who is not American by the way) actually told her, "I can't talk to you when you do that." I think he's got it right. He has a modest home, and isn't all caught up in technology. He sat on a wall for over an hour, just waiting, and enjoying the day when my Mom's flight was late. How is it we American's have become so addicted to our technology? Most say they can't live without it. I feel bad for us in a way because we are so addicted. But on the other hand we are lucky to be able to connect with anyone, anywhere. But when is too much too much? When has it gone too far? When will we look up from our gadgets and realize we don't even really know the people who are right within arms reach? When will we enjoy each other again without worrying about our cell phones and who's on the other side of it?
          So to sum up, technology is a good thing... in moderation... and at the right times. It's up to each of us individually to put down our gadgets or just plain leave them at home or power them down and just enjoy the people and things around us. We do still live in a beautiful world. We miss a lot of it though. Like Route 66, we are losing touch with our roots. We can do without so much technology but if we lose our roots we're really just alone.
          Yes, I know I'm using my laptop and my wireless internet right now. But I'm also the only adult at home and the kids are sleeping. So yes, I do think it's okay right now. :) Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Let's hear it!

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