The internet, probably the most important invention in my lifetime, has come to infiltrate much of our daily life. It’s virtually everywhere. We use it to communicate with our family and friends. We use it at work. We learn, shop, research, and entertain ourselves. We can talk to our family face to face on the other side of the world. I’m using it right now on this first attempt at a blog post. (Seriously, am I really blogging right now? I don’t blog. I’m not a blogger. This may be my last post.) What’s not to love about having access to so much through our computers and tablets and even the phones in our pockets. The internet is absolutely amazing. People could not have even dreamed of such a thing even 50 years ago. Everything has changed. There are moments when I yearn for a simpler time.
The 1970′s. Funk on 8-track. Disco clubs. Roller skating. Kids playing outside. Three TV channels. People living, working, playing together in this life.
The 1920′s. Jazz. Dance clubs. People would actually go out dancing (not to be confused with clubbing). Kids playing outside. Zero TV channels. People living, working… you get the picture.
Today, the options are endless. Everything we need is apparently online. The internet has allowed us to disconnect from each other even as we are endlessly connecting to each other online. How many times have we seen people on their precious phones while at dinner with real live people? I’ve done it myself from time to time. Teens don’t even care that much about getting their driver’s license these days. And why should they? They can do and see everything from their bedrooms.
I long for a simpler time. I want to read stories from actual books and buy books from actual book stores. I would be thrilled to listen to music on a simple CD player or even an 8-track player. I love to have people over and enjoy vibrant conversation. Do we even know how to do that anymore? I would love to go dancing with my wife. Where would we even go to do that? Do I really need my phone with me always? Do I seriously need the internet with me always? God has created this amazing world and all these amazing people and I feel like we are missing so much of it. There is something so refreshing about just sitting under the shade of a tree on a warm June day with a good book and a glass of tea. Or sitting in front of a warm fire with the love of my life and glass of wine on a cold winter night. Or gathering in the back yard with good friends and good coffee and talking the day away. Sometimes I think I should just disconnect from all the technology and simplify.
(By the way, my 8-track player is acting up. Does anyone know where or how I can get that fixed? Ahh, never mind. I’m sure I can figure it out on the internet.)
