Techno-fornication

Today while getting out on my bike between bouts of rain, I rode past a woman who was balancing on a ladder about 9 feet off the ground trimming  some long branches in front of her home. Between her shoulder and ear she held a cell phone and carried on a conversation while stretching toward a renegade branch.  Efficient, some may say; others might add that she had mastered multi-tasking but to me, this was just another example of how technology has limited our ability to be where we are.

Technology and our addiction to being connected hasn’t really made us more connected at all.  iPods do what their name says, they put you in  your own pod and allow you to disengage with the world around you.  iPhones are just like iPods in that they remove you from experiencing where you’re at, but they allow you to Tweet about the experience, even though its limited because you are clicking a little touch screen instead of simply being where you are.

It seems to me that we are communicating less with each other and reporting more about what’s up in our pods (in 140 characters or less).  As I write these words it doesn’t escape my notice that I am also guilty of the very behavior that I point out.  Perhaps its time to set aside my wandering iRant and be where I’m at for awhile.

Tomorrow I start a part time job after 6 months of looking.  I have an opportunity to implement green practices and energy efficiency into low income housing.  A challenge that will require multi-tasking but also focus, collaboration and effective communication. Instead of writing about my lack of participation I will begin to participate again.  My self appointed role of observer of the game must take the backseat for awhile;  I’ve been called into the game and although I didn’t make the rules, I know I will make a difference.