Accessories to Life

Technological wonders make me wonder…

It’s strange to see myself in the mirror again, without glasses. I’ve been wearing glasses for the past 15 years, and basketball increased the turnover of my glasses. So much so that I’ve decided not to go for any ball near the D-zone - the danger zone under the basket! Avoiding the D-zone leaves me only with the long shots from afar.*

Now that I don’t need glasses (for now anyway!), I play less of basketball, less of squash, less of badminton, less of anything that previously not wearing glasses would have been preferable. It makes me wonder:

Does technology really help improve the quality of our lives?

I have a Palm Treo where it’s my phone, my calendar, my to do list, my contact list etc. I organise my life with the Treo using the Getting Things Done system by David Allen. I have a television. I even have cable now with recording functions so that I only watch when I want to watch. I have an iPod where I listen to The Economist when I’m on the train or doing chores which don’t require much audio attention. I have a laptop in which I’m typing this blog post now. I have broadband connection. I’m looking for a solar powered digital watch, which I’m told may not be perpetual due to the constant recharging of its batteries (yes, it still runs on batteries to store the energy from the sun!). I’m also looking to own a Wii and a car at some point… and possibly and iPhone.

I seem to be accumulating a lot of technological “stuff”. But I’m not sure if I am happier because of them. I’m lucky enough to own them for one. I can organise my life better with a good handle on the thing-to-do. But do we need that many things-to-do? Maybe a huge chunk of the lists can be scored out because it’s not so important? Do I have to listen to anything while on the train? Is keeping up with the current news important? Or is doing 2 things at the same time makes me really efficient? Is having a watch important at this day in time? I’ve been living without one for a few months now, and there seem to be no lack of people that I can ask for time, or no lack of places with a clock somewhere. If it’s really pressing, someone would have told me about it.

I have to admit that I like tinkering with the technology. It shows the human ingenuity at making these things so desirable and yet functional. But sometimes I do wonder if they are just distracting me from the real thing that I’m supposed to be doing.

The irony of all these technology is that we still rely on books to tell us how to use them. Imagine, a technology which is centuries in age, teaching us how to use the advance technology. I think I’ll read a book now.

* Although I’m not good at it, I enjoy playing basketball, and changed my style dramatically after reading Slam Dunk!

© 2008 shang lee . com.