Technology can really be a pain in the neck ... literally
- Bruce Stambaugh: The Rural View
- February 28, 2020
- 906
For good or ill, technology has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives.
Robots began to invade the workforce assembly lines when I was a youngster. Never could I have imagined how far they would be integrated into our daily lives. Technology is advancing so rapidly that as soon as you buy a new cell phone, for example, it becomes obsolete.
We are so dependent on technology that we become exasperated when it doesn’t always work. If the power source goes out, we are stymied. Our electronic gizmos seem to be controlling us rather than the other way around.
For all of the promises of making life simpler, easier and more rewarding, technology can be a pain in the neck. In my case the pain was real.
I recently took my laptop computer in for its annual checkup. I believe it’s good to have a trained technician clean up your technology every now and then. That assumption turned problematic.
Skipping all of the gory details, let’s just say the guy pushed the wrong buttons on my keyboard. Consequently a newer operating system unintentionally replaced my old one. I was unaware of the far-reaching ramifications.
When I began writing in the word processor, I found myself typing in the cloud, wherever that is. Thousands of my photos disappeared along with hundreds of research bookmarks.
The techs were baffled. My mind raced, fearing all the negative possibilities. The good guys at the computer shop felt just as bad.
They said they would uninstall the new system and reinstall the old one using the info backed up on my external drive. The techs thought that would restore my lost data and photos. It didn’t quite work out that way.
I silently implemented my meditation breathing skills to stay calm. Apparently I need more practice. I woke the next morning with a stiff and painful neck. I attributed the previous day’s stress as a likely cause.
I realize technology has done wonders for global societies. Thanks to solar-power developments, remote third-world villages can generate power for their community water well. That ensures local residents have safe, clean drinking and cooking water.
Where would the medical field be today without the technological advances in equipment and practices that have simplified radical surgeries? Technology also allows medical personnel to communicate remotely, saving time, money and, more importantly, lives.
Firefighters, emergency medical technicians and police depend on high-tech equipment to help them do their jobs better, more efficiently and more safely. Thermal imaging cameras, for example, help first responders locate trapped or lost people.
Smartwatches and smartphones allow society to instantly communicate person to person or group to group. People once geographically isolated from world events now follow global news as it happens.
There are drawbacks as well. Universities have to paint warning signs on sidewalks for students to look up when they come to a crosswalk at a street corner. Why? Because nearly all of them are walking and talking on their cell phones, oblivious to their surroundings.
Don’t get me started on the misuse of social media, phone apps or even the Houston Astros.
My world improved when the technicians were able to reinstall the new operating system and updated word-processing software. I once again began typing on my computer instead of somewhere out there. Most of my photos were restored as well.
However, the irritating pain in my neck remained. I’m still working with technicians of a different sort to get that repaired.
Bruce Stambaugh writes about nature, weather, hobbies and people, often using personal experiences. Much to their dismay, he also writes about his family. He uses humor and pathos when he can’t think of anything else to include. To read more The Rural View, visit Stambaugh at www.thebargainhunter.com.