The technology monster

Technology is great. Don't you think? I mean, we save so much time with technology. Everything is automated, so we don't have to talk to real people unless we really want to. Cooking is a breeze as long as you are good at pushing buttons. Even cars are getting to the point where you can start them with just the push of a button. Because turning that darn key can result in carpal tunnel syndrome, ya know. It's hard work. And we already work hard enough, right?

So what happens when good technology goes bad? I used to use my phone as an alarm clock. I did for years up until just a couple weeks ago. See, sometimes my "phone" (I use that term loosely, since making calls is only a minor feature on phones these days) decides it's too tired to actually make noise when it goes off. Oh, it still vibrates, but if you have two fans running and the window open then the blinds clicking in the wind, vibration doesn't really stand out as a "wake you up" sort of sound. Of course, it chose to play this game on a day when I actually had to be at the office at a specific time for supervision. I woke up 30 minutes before I was supposed to be at work, and it takes me 15 minutes to get there. I rushed around my apartment, leaving a trail of destruction in my path. (Where is the technology that gets you ready for the day while you're eating breakfast??) I finally reached the office, only five minutes late, and once again my power locks on my car refused to work. And it's not like I can just leave three doors locked and lock the driver's door manually. This "convenient" feature unlocks all the car doors when the car is put in park. Yeah...not so convenient when you have to contort yourself into weird positions to lock all the doors or run around the car and lock them individually. Not cool, dude. Of course, I couldn't call my supervisor to tell her I was running late, because my "smart phone" decided to boycott that silly "making a call" feature and I didn't have time to sit and wait for it to restart.

Sometimes it seems like technology causes more problems than it fixes. Seriously. Yet we have become so dependent on it, we can't imagine doing some of those things for ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I lusted after a dishwasher for two years, and I am completely infatuated with the one I have now. I hate washing dishes. I would never want to go back to washing clothes by hand. I enjoy being able to check my email and facebook on my phone as I'm sitting in random parking lots between therapy sessions. I think the internet is fabulous. I'm glad that medical procedures are a lot less invasive than they used to be. All this technology is grand.

But I also sometimes wonder what damage we're doing. Does so much time on computers make our eyesight worse? I have no idea, but it can't be good for it. There are all sorts of "stimulating" and "educational" shows out there for kids. But doesn't that just keep them from using their own creativity and imagination? No wonder we have so many kids diagnosed with ADHD. They need the constant stimulation they're used to in order to keep their focus. Sometimes I think we're headed in a very scary direction.

Okay, that got a little serious. I could go on, but I won't, since most of you reading this probably have ADHD as well and would rather see something sparkly.

Ooo, pretty.

In conclusion, technology good. But sometimes technology bad. The end.