Monday, October 22, 2007

Black out...

Technology, especially computers have changed people's lives a lot... Everything these days is automated... Right from the cash out counter in department stores to the check-in terminals in airports... We enjoy luxury even in simple things like automatic doors, power windows for cars, automatic taps in sinks, flushes... This has sometimes made us lazy... Many a time we stand in front of a door waiting for it to slide open... Then with a sheepish smile, we realize that those are not automatic... The human mind always asks for more...

I do not know if this technological advancement is a bane or boon... Neither am I going to be judgemental about it. What bothers me more is the way in which people have changed because of these... Here is a small anecdote that I would like to put forward to show what I intend to convey!!! I can hear what you are saying: "Ahh, yet another anecdote from his life... He never seems to run out of them...".

When I was a kid, if there was a power cut during the day, I always found it out because the fans stopped running... But nowadays, I find out that there is a blackout because the internet stops working... As a matter of fact, the wireless connection camps on to a slower neighbouring connection... And this slow connection speed makes me look at what happened to my cable modem... It is then I figure out that there is a black out... I am not blaming the computers for this... It just gives me an impression that we are with our computers/cell phones for more time than we are with the family or friends that surround us...

These days, the definition of a house has taken a totally new form... Some sort of a superstructure with a roof, a computer and wireless internet connection is all we need. People aren't happy with a wired LAN connection. The next minute, they start looking at deals for a wireless router.

Isn't the world a lot simpler without all these advancements? Or is it a much better place with all these luxuries? I leave it to the reader...

8 comments:

maduri said...

Life is always about balance, balance of mind, balance of diet, balance of happiness/sorrows. This is yet another thing which joins the list. If ppl know that they should not overindulge in these pleasures/comforts, then its a boon, else its not. If you are taking the elevator thrice a week, make sure you take the stairs twice a week :) Then you have the joy of both worlds!

Hariharan Sukumar said...

@Maduri

Why is it a bane if you overindulge? You never told that.

maduri said...

Acc to me , too much convenience makes man lazy for one, secondly, our life is almost devoid of small pleasures that we get from doing things that do not involve gadgets (eg: talking to a friend as opposed to watching a movie on the lappy, or playing football instead of being hooked to an Xbox,..).

.:. Thus proved. :-)

Hariharan Sukumar said...

Well, this is no competition... I just asked you to tell me why you thought so... Anyways, that is one point of view... Let's see if there is anything more from others...

Hariharan Sukumar said...

Well, I said I am not gonna be judgemental, but guess I started off with a biased notion... :)

maduri said...

Only Kidding! Only Kidding! :)

khizzie said...

Certainly technology is rapidly altering our lives...but hasn't every era been affected this way by some thing or another? For example, how did the introduction of rail transportation change our perception of need? Before it was possible to move things (or people) great distances quickly, we made due with our circumstances. After, our sense of need was changed...if you *can* get something easily, you are more likely to want it, no?

Anand said...

exactly machi.... i feel addicted to my computer... or atleast emails and internet.... too much relying on these things.... have thought about it like what u say... GOD save human race :)