Technophile

I hate cell phones. No really. They suck. The reception is bad, they lose service at the most inopportune times, and frankly I don’t want to be connected 24/7. I have never figured out why I need a camera on my phone (I’ve tried to use it, but I hate taking pictures. I used to hate it before every phone had a camera. I had to force my self to remember my camera when we were on our European adventure this summer). I have one mostly because you can’t not have one these days, and honestly, how often do they get used in an emergency? (Parents always say their children need one in case of emergency—really? In a real emergency, they get in the way far more than they help.) I hate the new mentality that everyone MUST be perfect at all times—no more errors allowed, no misspeaking, no tripping and falling—because if you make a mistake your flaming takedown will be posted for all the world to see in a matter of seconds. Really? I though being human was about learning from mistakes, but no one seems to be willing to give anyone a second chance any longer.

I don’t have an iPad, though I crave one, because I just can’t justify it. I work at home. Why would I need a portable tablet? We don’t have 500 TV channels or Tivo or DVR. Our TV is relatively small in comparison to most that I’ve seen. I don’t have GPS in my car (although it was handy in the European rental car) and when I taught, I rarely used technology, although I will admit to looking up facts on the Internet—on those sites that weren’t blocked.

You’d think that I’m a technophobe. I’m not. I honestly think technology can save mankind. I’d rather fly in a plane with a computer at the helm. I’d rather have a robot surgeon. I’d love the see the technology of self-driving cars (keep the idiots from getting their hands on the wheel. BTW, Flying cars? No thank you. Can you imagine what dumbass drivers would be doing up in the sky? You really want that texter behind the wheel of a flying car? I don’t think so.), and smart houses. My husband has a PhD in Robotics. He’s even worse than I about gadgets. Because gadgets aren’t what will save the world. Oh, they’re fun, but is the world really a better place because we can take pictures with our phones? (Although in the case of the Arab spring, that technology was crucial, but that was a mighty powerful exception.) I have embraced Twitter, and FB, and blogging, but they aren’t as important as solar energy or wind power or wave energy.

I guess what I’m saying is I don’t have any problem with gadgets, but don’t expect me to jump into the 21^st century any time soon. I don’t want to be attached to my phone. Or have my picture taken.

--Gabi

Books I’m reading now:

Still working on the Rita books I have to judge.