Does evolution make us lazier? Is innovation and science there for us so we don’t have to focus on trivial things like staying alive? Augsburg, Germany has installed smart traffic signals so pedestrian texters don’t have to look up to see if they can cross the street. Technology is there to make life easier… not make us lazier than we already are. What’s next?
How many phone numbers do you remember off the top of your head? No cheating. Do you remember one? With cell phones, we don’t have to remember our mom’s phone number. Just select ‘mom.’ But what happens when your battery dies and you have to borrow your friend’s phone? What is the number you are calling if who you are calling isn’t listed in their phone? Quick. Can you spell 911?
When was the last time you went out to watch a movie? Go bowling? Buy a book? Today, we don’t have to leave home to do any of it. For a movie, pop in a DVD or stream Netflix. Want to go bowling? Fire up the Wii and you don’t have to mess with the crowds or even getting dressed. A book? Download the latest best seller on your tablet or E-reader. We would be lost without modern tachnology. That is scary. We would actually be lost. See the next item.
GPS can now tell us where we are no matter where we are. To those of us who used compasses to find moss on the north side of a tree, that is absolutely amazing. The scary side to all of this is even our cell phones have GPS. Now, someone else can know where we are no matter where we are. Ever try to hide when a satellite is shining a spotlight on you?
What would you do if the lights went out? Most cell phones have the flashlight option but what if the cell towers went down with the utility pole like it did for me last year? Did you remember to buy batteries for your flashlights? If you had to light a candle, do you have matches? You do know that hot wax burns if you hold it in your hand, don’t you?
When was the last time you and your friend of the last 10 years got together? Physically? Not Facebook where you can poke each other to stay in touch. Not email. Face to face spending time together soaking up the scenery. If you ran into your friend on the street, would you recognize him/her? Would they recognize you?