We as a society have a tendency to jump into any new type of advancement that shows up. We are always being tempted with new ways to communicate, to share our opinions and our art.
The old
methods often lose their appeal and some just die off and disappear. A lot of
these “older” systems are still around and are being used but their
permeability is always suspect.
Phones are a
wonderful example. Going back in time, the people of a town used to rely on a telegraph
operator, someone knowledgeable in deciphering Morse Code. Before that, the
quickest means of communication was by a rider on a horse. Then along came the
phone lines.
Both the
mail service and the telegraph services are still being used. Delivery by
riders on horses has pretty much disappeared and Morse Code is used mostly by
amateur radio operators. You have to admit, it is pretty rare when anyone gets
a telegram.
Phones once
held a special place in our homes; some houses even had a special niche where
it could be placed. The number of land lines has slowly diminished, now days;
nearly everyone has a smart phone. We can be called at anytime, available
whenever anyone wants us. This is the way of today’s world!
The computer
industry has changed our lives, just as the printing press did many centuries
ago. Portable phones got smaller and also smarter! The desire to talk with
someone, anyone, at 11PM as you troll down the aisles of your local grocery,
was enough to ensure that everyone gets one.
Phones
enable us to search for information, to find out where we are and where to go
and how to get there. They take pictures that rival, if not surpass the quality
of most cameras. You can read a book on them if you so desire or listen to a
concert or even watch a movie.
Our world is filled with things such as this. Devices
which enable us to be better at the things we do. We have smart refrigerators
that tell us when to order items that will be needed. There are door bells that
show us who is on our front porch, even when we aren’t home. Furnaces can
control the heating and cooling cycles of the house along with countless
machines which help us save money, save fuel and save us from frustration.
I’m not
saying that is bad!
I am just
saying that we shouldn’t forget the “old ways”. Don’t forget how to use your
brain to figure out problems. Skip asking Alexis how to do things and let
Google sit for awhile. Read some books, memorize some facts, write some notes
to yourself or even better, write a letter to someone. Put a stamp on it and
allow the mailman to deliver it. Visit the local library and use their
reference section and always, always, keep books in your house!
Play around
with old technologies. Go outside and look at the stars. Open a star atlas and
compare the map to what you’re seeing above you!
Maps are
another thing, open a paper map and plan a road trip. Go through some towns
with interesting names rather than taking the quickest or least congested
route. Stop at a restaurant in one of the little towns, don’t rely on a “good
review”, instead rely on luck.
I have recently
been taking pictures with an old 35mm camera, using Black and White film. The
only convenience it has is a light meter. It is up to the shooter to decide
what aperture and what shutter speed to use. The pictures won’t be seen for a
couple weeks so care is needed in composing the shots. There is no instant
check on whether or not the picture came out correctly. Practice and experience
is the true teacher!
Our modern world is wonderful, but don’t forget the past. Don’t forget how to use your
hands and your mind. Pick up an old hobby and try your luck at it, you might
enjoy the experience. Let your computer and phone sit for awhile!
One final note, I used a fountain pen to write this originally…
in cursive no less!
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