Technology - friend or foe

FOE FOE FOE

I just wrote a whole blog and the stupid piece of tech died on me. Now I have to remember what I wrote again and to anyone who said oh you should have saved it imagine me looking at you disdainfully and saying yes I know that and I tried to. Hmmph.

Ok where was I?

Friend or Foe

Pro-Friend:

The first time I was in Europe there was barely any internet access. I found one small pc in an entire school that I could load up the internet on. The next time I was in France the internet had progressed however Facebook didn't exist.

Both times you relied upon texts , or even way before that - eeh gad - letters!. I am writing a few letters to people now and some postcards because I have to say that the effort you put into letters and postcards does mean alot.

However, as I log onto Facebook, Crackbook or whatever you want to call it - I have to say its nice to be able to follow up with what my friends are doing with their day to day activities. In a way it is a less morbid version of Jean Paul Sartre's Huis Clos. If you haven't had a chance to read this play or see it on film I recommend you do. There is a 1950s version I believe that is quite palatable.

I love reading peoples comments on their lives, their funny pictures they put up and yes, even the status updates that are sad or angry. The ability to converse with others so freely and in a social albeit online environment is one that I think many of us needed - its important to feel connected with people.

Pro-Foe:

You find out things instantaneously that you don't want to know about. And also, sometimes there is too much information out there.

The instant gratification of text can harm more than it helps - with whole important conversations occurring without a face to face.

However this can also be good. Putting an end to things that should never have been - the ability to decide to cut ties without too much having to happen. A disposable way to leave disposable relationships.

Overall I think tech is good, it's the way in which you use it. I know from my previous experience at the Ports that I have learnt not to just post things willy nilly - everything these days is so public.

I also have learnt to treasure the friendships I have that are more intimate - and deal on a person to person level.

I'm lucky I have great family - I would choose every single one of them to be in my life - and my friends are the family I have chosen.