Why do I have a love/hate relationship with modern technology? Why the resentment towards Michael's use of his iphone? Is it that I'm jealous that he's paying more attention to his phone than to me? I do that to him when I'm reading, or texting someone, or when I'm on the internet. Maybe it's that I'm concerned about modern society's addiction to technology like this, and Michael and his iphone make this real for me, and make me see him as a microcosm of this problem... But, is this future? Won't "first world society" have iphones from now on--they're not going to just disappear. People won't willingly throw them out and started moving on backwards in time. The internet will continue to exist, and will continue to integrate itself into human society until now, just like a hammer or a fork or a shovel, the internet is simply an extension of our selves, something to extend the reach of our intellect and our skills, to make our lives more efficient and relevant, to make it so that the world really DOES revolve around ME!! How does it know my favorite food? How did it know I was thinking of trying that new restaurant out? How do MY friends like this bar? It makes sense. Advertising tailored completely to you, courtesy of your friend and family's knowledge of your preferences.
So what's so wrong with this? Why do I have so much resentment and fear about it? Am I standing the one blocking the doorway and the hall as the times they are a changin'?? Is this what Dylan meant? Am I just scared of change? Of "the future"? Of "kids these days and their technology?"
No, I'm not. It's not change itself I'm afraid of. In fact, it feels like it's some sort of drastic change that I crave. I come at this with an educated, thought out viewpoint. It's a not a knee jerk reaction to things I don't understand. After learning and discussing research that points to how our rapidly increasing use of the internet and iphone is affecting 1) how our neural structures in our brains operate, 2) our health and happiness, and 3) human's ability to concentrate and emphathize, and...think. This is still a disjointed thought process that isn't shedding any light on the issue. It feels like-- people my age, people younger than me, are integrating technology into their lives more and more. Why don't I like this? What can I do about it? I can go my own way and continue to not use an iphone and be conscious about my own time on the internet, and my own "technology addiction." But I have no right to judge others on their addiction to something that is so integrated into our society, and will only become more so.
Is it because I'm sad? I don't want Michael to be one of the them, one of the "sheep," one of the humans being brainwashed to think this is what my brain needs now--anything at the tip of fingers? The commercial says it perfectly-- "I have a right to be UNLIMITED!" A prediction of the dystopia! Freedom to be unlimited! Share as much information as I want and learn as much information as I want! Use as many resources as I want and do what I want! My right my freedoms! But what about my RESPONSIBILITIES? Responsibilities to raise healthy children and the responsibility to be a steward to the environment we live in? Because it's the right thing to do? Sure, if that motivates you. If it doesn't, fuck morals, these "responsibilities" should be seen as survival skills. If we want our species to continue; if we simply want our children to live without preventable health conditions and with the ability to eat fresh food and breathe clean air and drink water that came from a nearby lake or river; we need to be stewards. Stewards for each other, for our communities, for our planet. Because if we don't switch gears, we're going to DIE! The ecosystems around us will weaken until they can no longer support us and will become wholly artificial, all made of human-created technology. Anything to keep us living our comfortable lives!
The potential coal export situation is going to be a real turning point. Sure, if we keep it from happening in this region, it may just show up in Canada, or California, or Mexico, but still... It needs to at least be fought hard. It needs to be clear that exponentially increasing the coal trains running through the Pacific Northwest to get to China is NOT OKAY WITH US. Yes, it would please china. It would please the coal companies. It would please all those who stand to profit in any way from coal. It would create some temporary jobs (but not as many lives as would be destroyed by the consequences of coal trains). But it would hurt our health, it would hurt our forward progress towards healthier cleaner energy, it would hurt our fisherman's livelihoods, our marine ecosystems, our landscapes of all kinds all along the railroad tracks, our farmers near the tracks, their children's lungs, it would increase traffic and delay our emergency vehicles and send the wrong message to our children. We cannot let this happen.
So what's the solution? For now, I'll start simple with myself. Cook more. Teach others how to cook. Inspire a love for food in others. Eat less meat and more plants. Drive as little as possible. Use as little new material as possible (limit new products, clothes, limit packaging). Grow my own food as much as possible. Exercise regularly. Support businesses who support their communities, and don't lend their ear to corporate interests.
We can learn from and respect our past but we can't go back to it. We can only go forward, and the future will not be like the past, it will be different. I need to accept that but also feel empowered to control my own future.
