A class I was involved in a little while back took a few minutes to write together the other day about a time “before technology,” “after technology,” and “personal technology.” To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I should share my writing there, but it turns out I have a blog – so I can share my writing here.
One of the things that I’m always reminded of when it comes to frames like “before technology” and “after technology” is that such distinctions are relative. There wasn’t really ever a “pre-technology” period in my life – it’s just the technology of the moment that’s changing. Yesterday’s Word is today’s Google Docs is tomorrow’s I dunno yet. And so on. And my personal explorations of technology aren’t linear – it’s not like ever since I started typing words I no longer write them by hand. In fact, I’m writing lots more by hand lately than via keyboard, as I cherish the quiet of pen to paper without Internet connection over the allure of “what’s the latest news” when I’m sitting in front of the screen I spend far too much of my day in front of.
There’s not really an “after technology,” for me. I suspect the framing was meant in part to help folks realize that adding technology to something makes that thing better. That’s, of course, not always true. Frequently, it’s not at all true. Just because you can automate something sure doesn’t mean that you should. I wish more of the people in a hurry to automate education and learning and relationships realized that. The struggle is a big piece of the thing.
Adding extra stuff – technology, processes, media, etc – to a thing that doesn’t need it is folly and foolish and wrong. Tell your friends – don’t do that.
I’ll skip the personal part of the prompt – I don’t really know what that means. The tech I use IS personal. The same messaging tools I use to ensure my appointments are on time are those I use to ask my daughter how her day at school is going.
Maybe that’s weird, but I don’t think it is. Not one bit.
Alan Kay defined, “Technology as anything that didn’t exist when you were born.”
I point out regularly that technology is not neutral.
http://stager.tv/blog/?p=3739