“There has to be an invisible sun
It gives its heat to everyone
There has to be an invisible sun
That gives us hope when the whole days done”–The Police
Is it just me, or are others out there disturbed by the way our world is disappearing before our eyes? Every day more and more things are changing from tangible objects that we can have and hold into tiny bits of electrical data that fly through the air from place to place.
I recently read some summary of a scientific study that said people become emotionally and physically excited by the sight of money. Where the hell does anyone find money anymore? I have a job. I used to get my paycheck in the mail, take it to the bank, deposit some money and then ask the teller for several rectangular pieces of green paper that respresented currency. Now my job electronically sends my money to the bank and when I want to spend some of my vast fortune I just slide a plastic card through a little machine everywhere. I don’t even write checks anymore. I can just use my computer to tell the bank to send my electronic money to the bank that owns my car and house!
When I was a kid I remember that my parents had a telephone that was actually attached to the wall by a cord! How did they ever call their friend from the mall with that thing? I used to get a newspaper, but why bother when my news is in print right on my computer, sent to me as millions of tiny bits of data that my computer re-assembles into a picture and words. In fact, I’m so old that remember way back when your computer had to be attached to a cable or phone jack. Books? Why read one of those big, heavy ones made of paper when you can listen to them in your car or read them online?
I haven’t done any scientific studies, but it is my impression that there is probably a significant number of people who communicate with others by electronic means more than face to face. With technology advancing by quantum leaps every year it’s entirely possible that face to face talking will soon be a thing of the past. It’s almost as if real, physical people are becoming invisible little by little. Will we eventually become a society that lives safely in our little techno-domes pushing buttons to control the world around us without ever getting our hands dirty so to speak? What will become invisible next?
I remember reading (!!) a horror novel once where people literally became attached to their computers, who fed off their brains and took over the whole city…
I love technology, but it isn’t ever going to replace the feel of a book in my hands or talking to a friend over coffee, all the nuances of body language. I read a story once, before Ebooks, where everyone read books on little screens and it took me a while to realise it wasn’t horror. I had nightmares for weeks about there not being any papeer books to hold. Farenheit 451 gave me nightmares too.
passing through to see if your still alive and kicking….yap, you seem to be …hi by the way…
I agree with hageltoast! E-books just don’t feel the same as print. And when one is reading for pleasure, a good old fashioned paperpack is much easier on the eyes than a screen.Same with face to face / telephone communication. Email is wonderful but often it is more effective to simply pick up the phone!
Oh Phil, you watched that Al Gore movie, didn’t you?On the other hand, do you suppose there’s something to the theory that reducing everything might help us use less natural resources that we’re wasting at alarming rates every day?You think about that the next time your ez-pass goes beeeep at the toll plaza!
meet george jetson,,, his wife jane,, daughter julie, his boy elroy….dont forget astro…..seems a bit familiar huh ?
I’m so old that I can remember when people talked about 1984 as though it was far off in the future. 🙂
I’m all for invisible pants. Of course, you must pass the Hot Guy Qualifications first.
Teehee to Gary … I read George Orwell’s 1984 as a high school english novel !!! It seemed incredible … but now, so true !!Hope you have a great week, Phil.Take care, Meow
Quite profound!
Hageltoast – LOL, that’s what they said about records too. Now we have MP3 players… (sigh)
well, books have become “invisible” and money and music (well, music already was, but to go from not even having to physicaly own it to own it)….i got all excited the other day – the new mac machine at my bank gives out one dollar bills – so i got out $9.00 on purpose!but i will ALWAYS still want to kiss IRL