Good advice, all.
Being old enough (early 60's) to remember a time of rotary phones and no Internet - while still being no Luddite (I love technology!) - I found all the clamor around Apple's new headset more alarming than intriguing.
Whereas change is potentially "inevitable" as the saying goes, not all change is good. The invention of the steam engine started our addiction to shaping our days around clocks; cell phones and email started stealing our "private time;" social media went to work on shortening our attention spans, and now we're being served up the invitation to completely check out from our own reality and move into our imaginations.
"Matrix," anyone?
Honestly, the technology bothers me less than the thought about who gets to hold and control the proprietary technology "purse strings" and impose their narrative? Apple isn't exactly the shiniest example of corporate ethics and honest dealings.
We start our days with a good half hour of drinking coffee and just talking about the day... which will involve gardening (summer), writing, arts and crafts, cooking and the like. We are close to dirt poor (by choice) because we don't subscribe to the societally prescribed standards of success and what the good life looks like. (Read: "largely non-consumers").
Even so, we live with the (potential) reality that the Matrix will find ways to poke its long tendrils into our reality and suck us in. It's unlikely it will since we only have maybe 20 years left on this planet and "old people are irrelevant... hah!" but we're somewhat concerned for our grandchildren. What world will that be, when they reach old age?
Thanks! I remember all that stuff too. Isn't it crazy to think back and remember the world without the internet or cell phones? We actually could "get away" from everything for a while if we so chose. That's not the case any longer.
I've always been fascinated by tech as well. I had an old Tandy (Radio Shack) computer in the 1970's and would write these simple programs that would make a stick figure walk across the screen and I thought it was the best thing in the world.
Great points about the downfalls of technical innovations. It seems for each downfall there are positives though, that is until super smart/greedy people figure out how to exploit them. I see devices as the delivery system, much like cigarettes are the delivery system for nicotine.
That sounds like a great routine and way of life you have. I've worked way too much in my life to reach personal goals and acquire things only to realize how foolish it was to waste the time and energy in the end. It provided temporary satisfaction but wasn't worth the time I invested. Live and learn. : )
Although it sounds like we're about a decade apart my wife and I have the same concerns. We were walking today in our neighborhood, the air was so thick with Canadian wildfire smoke that we could barely breathe. I couldn't help but think about the world we're leaving the next generation. They have lots of work to do. Thanks for your comment!
Decentralization of the means of production is the cutting edge of every field of industry today. From food to power, to manufacturing, machines that make things are becoming small and inexpensive enough for individuals to own and operate themselves.
We don't need to buy from corporate factories anymore, when we can make everything we need to enjoy the blessings of civilization ourselves.
Seize the means of production today, and create true wealth: independent means.
That is very exciting. A lot of problems would disappear overnight if we found a way to cut corporations out of our equation.