Being Human In the Age of the Electronic Mob

“Has the Internet seduced us into thinking that we can in fact live in a world without other flesh and blood people, we can just deal with screen people.” Paul Comrie-Thomson

Photo @ illuminati-news.com

The other day I was talking with a friend who commented on how the use of the Internet has made people so impersonal that it’s taking the place of human interaction.

She said that “people are missing out on real pivotal moments in life because they are too plugged in, always stuck in front of the computer.”

After I got off the phone, I called at least 3 people to say hi, not that I don’t call them anyway, but I’m technology dependent, and sending an email hello is “normal”, preferred really.

Instead of picking up the phone to emotionally connect with someone and listening to their voice, phone calls have been replaced by text messaging, emails or tweets.  Technology has made it so that we don’t have to deal with humans if we don’t want to.

A few weeks ago, we had dinner with an elderly family friend, she has to be at least 89 years old, visiting from Virginia.

She passed out her calling card printed with her name, address and phone number on it.  After examining the card for a few seconds and looking on the back side, I said: “Where’s your email address, how am I supposed to contact you?”  She said, “Use the phone number.” ¹  Sometimes a phone call is better because we get to hear emotions and true feelings that we would not get in an email or text message.

I love the Internet, its usefulness, its convenience but life is not the sum of conveniences. In fact, it would probably be less convenient, but it might also be more meaningful, especially when we examine the social and psychological dislocations that it’s caused. ²

How do you stay “human” when technology makes it so easy for us to be emotionally detached.  Does time spent online outweigh the time spent interacting with family and friends?  Has technology affected our thinking and way of life that it is fast becoming, not our servant, but our master?

Additional Reading:
Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob

1.   I hate the phone [↩]
2. social isolation [↩]

Oh, Sense Less One

One thing I dislike about daylight savings time is having to drive home from work in the dark.  Reason being:  I can’t see.  I can’t count the number of times I have driven on the curb thinking it was a driveway or completely missing my turn altogether because I could not find the driveway.¹

If I have to drive at night, with people in the car, in between conversation I work in the occasional “I can’t see” or “I hope nobody steps out in front of the car” or “It sure is dark”, just so they know my last words.

I’m a great driver but sometimes I have to rely on my hearing to guide my way, or listen out for screams when I’m temporarily unable to see.  This got me to thinking would I rather be blind or deaf.  If I had to lose one of these two senses, which one could I live without?  As much as I LOVE music, I would have to give up my hearing because I could still be independent and deaf.

Several years ago, I took a course in ASL (American Sign Language) I never completed, but I’m still a quick finger speller and would have no problem communicating as a deaf person.  If however, I lost my sight….well I get lost with the lights on. I would not be able to cope as well.

Out of curiosity which one would you choose?  Would you rather be blind or deaf and why?

Additional Reading:
Cardiogirl.net – The Book of Questions

1. or exit [↩]

Finger Clicking Good’gaud That Hurts!

A little over a week ago I started feeling a nagging pain in my right index finger, especially around the joint area.  The pain went away and then a few days later it returned.  I thought it was kind of weird for only one of my fingers to be hurting, but okay.

Then I thought, maybe the pain had something to do with the graph below.  I’m not an EntreCard drop master, yet, but do you think the repetitive clicking and scrolling has anything to do with it? ¹

Of course, I can’t tell anyone why my finger really hurts.  The real reason would seem so silly or too embarrassing that it’s just not worthy of the truth.  Surely, I can come up with something a lot more colorful that will leave a crowd of listeners on the edge of their seats.

Here’s my “that’s my story and I’m sticking to it” reason for the soreness: I hit my finger on a tree branch while parachuting out of a plane. Much better.  I’m a brave daredevil not a repetitive mouse clicker.  A sore finger from dropping?  I don’t think so.

Meanwhile, my finger continues to receive lots of TLC, massages and stretching. If that doesn’t work then I still have one more digit that is capable of clicking until I have to use my left hand.

What’s your most unbelievable injury story?  I know it’s funny, so spill it. Did you fess up or did you paint a colorful picture?

1. Can you say class action? [↩]