What would life be like without certain technologies?

There are times when I wonder at all the marvelous things that we have at out fingertips and then at other moments I think we might all be better off living like the Amish.

Life would be a lot simpler without all the technologies, especially the internet. Personally I love magazines and books, and will more than likely cry if such things are done away with. (thinking of that Kindle thing, in particular).

i agree there is a lot less socializing now as compared to the seventies and even less that compared to the sixties

You are asking some profound questions here, Chuck. Letter writing, for example, seems to have dwindled drastically. I have seen some of my favorite magazines ("Audio" with Edward Tatnall Canby) simply become extinct. We love the immediacy of the internet, but perhaps we should not completely lose sight of hard copy like books, periodicals and newspapers. If we don't socialize, we shall be the poorer for lack of live community/cultural interface.

I wonder if Starbucks is the new trend toward reading, writing, socializing and listening to music. All in the presence of a cup of hot java, fresh bagel or butter croissant?

Without all of today's modern technology, the world would still be a much simpler, kinder, gentler place...and it wouldn't be in the poor shape it's in! Sometimes, it seems like those good, old days sure were good.

I agree that these are interesting questions. Yet, we can't forget all of the good that comes from technology too. Case in point: Gather. We wouldn't be interacting at all without this technology.

We do, I think, have to make the effort to not be swallowed completely by our fast food nation. I still read a daily newspaper and get newsprint on my fingers. I don't like trying to read the news online. I carry a cellphone, but my friends will tell you it's never on and they don't know why I bother. I don't own an i-anything or even a cheaper version of an MP3 player. I do have a palmpilot, but I use it primarily for the calendar function and the ease of keeping one calendar that I have wherever I go--and it's much smaller than the day planner I used to carry!

I hope we don't lose books. I love books. I like to buy and be surrounded by my books (again, ask my friends & they'll tell you I'm not exaggerating). As I work with college students, more and more of them don't want to meet face-to-face, but we still require a certain amount of that.

We have to keep in mind that technology is a tool and that we use it--it doesn't use us.

Anyone remember cassette tapes and VHS?

I miss em :(

Okay, I disagree with you on the reason why people don't go to concerts anymore, just because it is too DAMN expensive for tickets. Looking at the last few concerts I attended, the tickets including the service charge and convenience fee were between $90 - $120, which I was only willing to pay since I wanted to see that particular artist or group perform live, but realistically I don't have that kind of money to be spending on every single band or artist's concert and literally have missed on several just for that reason.

In regards to record and magazines stores, they are already somewhat obsolete just because you can buy the album and or individual songs from various online music sources. Actually, I just recently bought a new mp3 player that offered a free 2 month subscription to Rhapsody and allows me download any and all songs I want to my mp3 player or will charge me a nominal fee if I should decide to purchase an album or a certain song(s), burn it to a CD and transfer it to my media player on the computer.
Video stores are going that way, too because of the popularity of the online services.

I agree with Susan in that without certain techonologies we wouldn't have the conveniences we have now like cellphones, palmpilots, internet, mp3 players, or even DVD players that have DVD-RW capabilities. It all depends on the person or people and how they decide to use or abuse that tool. I have a cellphone in case of emergency, but my family/friends would say that I rarely ever answer and why bother with the extra monthly expense. I get the Sunday paper to keep updated on what is going on or go to my online news sources to keep myself informed on the world events.

I know several people who do most of their shopping online since it is easier and they don't have to deal with crowds, find a parking place, stand in a long line, rushing somewhere to take advantage of a deal before they run out of the item or assuming that they carry exactly what you are looking for. It saves time, gas, avoid unnecessary hassles and makes life a little easier.

Life would be simpler...and we would spend more time relating to the people near us.
;-)

Well, the internet is certainly replacing a lot of things now. It's cheaper for people to advertise on the internet and give away things to get people to buy their product than advertising on TV. We'll just have to see how the next decade goes!

Certainly there are changes, I think this new generation is going to more concerts and still values he experience of live music. The Internet will be the next ad venue, but just a bit of a different approach and we certainly make new friends in cyberspace. Technology means change, not good or bad, just different.

Excellent article, very thought provoking. I come from a generation where the EZ Bake Oven was the high tech toy around 1965, you had to use a little plastic disk adapter to play 45's on your record player that looked like an overnight case and 8 tracks were the hottest music trend that vowed to replace LP Records. Most people still had black and white TV because color TV's were just too expensive. The microwaves had not been invented yet. There was no cable TV, cell phones or home computers and when machines began replacing men on the work lines they called it progress. Sometimes I feel like we are progressively moving toward self destruction.

i agree, Debra. i came from that same generation. and we, as children, knew all of the other children in the neighborhood and we all socialized together. we played at each other's houses and ate supper with each other and if for no other reason than that, the neighborhoods were exactly that, NEIGHBORHOODS! if someone was in trouble or needed anything, every one was there.
in today's technological world, we have convinience, but i think we have sacrificed something much more precious... our society. yes, we get to meet other people ONLINE, yes we have access to information and services we might not have otherwise, but the QUALITY of our lives is so vastly different.
my fear is that this is also the beginning of types of censorship. without hard copies of history, for example, it can be written any way one pleases. it already is in our current history books that children have in schools today. but we do have OLD books that tell us the truth about what has happened in our past.
the internet has a hugeness that births things being buried. how sad that the children of today don't know what a 48 record is or the thrill of seeing a color tv for the first time. it is kinda scary.
good post, Chuck! interesting thoughts brought out by your words! keep it up!

I am going out in few minutes because I give myself only so much time at gather and then quit.Life needs to be lived among other people not virtual people alone.
Convenience has a big price tag. Health issue developed from fast food. Use of energy increase and cost, it really does not save time. Time is money and it has never been more underestimated as in the time we live in.
Millions squander hours on the internet while in the same amount of time they could clean house, cook a good meal with friends, get a job, or education and on and on.
I have no TV, use no dishwasher and read magazines and books.
My next project may be a coffee shop with used books for sale and exchange, games and live music. Come and play.
In conclusion, moderation is the key and variety.

only use technology when needed.
I read books printed on paper/still write checks/ still send invitations and thankyou notes the written way.

I'm too young to remember most of the stuff you are referring to, but I agree with Sarah about the concerts....it's simply too expensive to see just any band...you have to pick and choose the ones you really want to see because of the price.

First of all thanks for reading my article and commenting. Then to answer this one, I have mixed feelings. I think all of life is too virtual these days. This may be partly due to death & life being institutionalized - meaning that most folk do not have the privilege to be born or to die at home - we seem to have lost touch with reality. Some of those realities that are a hard, but necessary, part of a fulfilled life. The more technology we gain, the more the tendency is to sink into a virtual reality based on the "way of least resistance". It eliminates much of the conflict in life, true. But some of that conflict - or challenge - is necessary for growth of character. So it is a loss and not an improvement. Most of American society, however, has come to equate ease with positive; and to interpret Peace as a lack of conflict. Grossly oversimplified. grossly underestimated.

Ah, but it is not good for the reply to be longer than the article so I stop here. Thanks for the observations!

I too have mixed feelings. Sometimes I am amazed at how technology has changed out lives for the better. Then on the other hand I also can think of ways it has ruined us.

Great post provoking a lot of thought and commentary.

I still use my audio tapes and VHS tapes, love my books, will never buy a kindle, and I actually play an instrument, so I don't need to have wires attached to my head to get my music. And it doesn't cost much to come and actually dance to the music my bands play. Anyone could afford it. It's real music by real people. We don't live lifestyles of the rich and famous and don't need to buy expensive cars, do drugs, or support a crew of 25 sound people or a travelbus. Look around you, everyone, support your local musicians and/or pick up an instrument yourself. Anyone can be a music-maker. If the world does go to hell in a handcart, no one can take away your music.

I feel at times there is too much technology and days were more simple even when I was young. However technology has helped a great deal of area's including medicine to help people live longer and better this has to be remembered.

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I'm one of those people that don't socialize in real life. I'm home 24/7 except when I get out to do the shopping, and even some of that I now do on line if I can. For me it's perfect because I don't like crowds, driving in traffic or spending time in line to buy something. I can see the printing magazines dieing out, which to me is no great loss. Though I do like to have my music in solid form on a CD or Vinyl record.

The most useful technology is the phone. I once moved to a new house and had to wait a whole two days before the landline was connected and I didn't have a mobile phone at the time - I've never felt so isolated and helpless.

Actually the one thing I would REALLY not want to be without is my washing machine, lol!

Wow, I wrote an article on the same topic a couple weeks ago, and the responses were almost the opposite. I love seeing how everyones' opinions vary. I do agree that technology can become too much of a distraction, or even addiction for some, but at the same time, I just see so many benefits. I love being able to email my dad all the time, without it costing either of us tons of money. I love being able to keep in contact with friends and family all across the globe, instantly.

I think, however, the best aspect of technology definitely presents itself in healthcare. We have access to so many more lifesaving tests and treatments, and I love to imagine how far we will come in the next century, or even decade!

I do agree, however, that it is sad that we rarely find a hand-written letter or card. We rarely get printed photos any more. Kids know how to type, better than they know how to write in cursive.

While there are benefits and down sides, as with everything, I don't think I'd trade in my technology, even for the "peaceful" good old days.