I was returning a video to the Red Box the other day (yes, we don't have Netflix) and a lady was in front of me trying to pick a movie. Well, she and the person on the other end of her cell phone were trying to pick a movie. I supposed it saved time over a video store, but as the lady read every title from the listings into her phone, I wondered how much she was really saving. The weather was not cooperating either being -6 degrees (not the balmy 34 degrees of today). They finally picked a movie, had a little trouble entering the [sic] "something@aol@com" email address, and then were gone. I quickly returned my video, which is always faster than choosing one, and was on my way as well.
Looking back, I found it funny how some items that make life more convenient made other items less convenient. Years ago, in my lifetime of 27 years, things called cell phones did not exist. When they did first exist, they are massive and typically had to be plugged into a car. If we wanted to watch a movie, we'd have to go into a video store, get a VHS tape, and use a membership card to rent the movie. Thank goodness technology is changing things. Now we can talk on the phone while renting a movie! Standing in the cold instead of the store, talking with someone who couldn't see the marking-filled DVD covers, waiting in line for an "electronic return-chute." Are we really making progress here?!!
I'm sure this is a topic I'll think about, and one day discuss, with Hugh as he grows up. The things that were so new and inventive years ago are simply commonplace today. I practically invented blogging with mass emails about mundane topics back in high school, but now the high schoolers in our church's Youth Group say, and I quote, "I don't have email, that's for old people." Welcome to Generation Z. I love when things get easier and try to watch new technology as well ("watch", because buying typically isn't an option), so I can only imagine if what Hugh will think of as convenient will be the same things I'd consider impossible today. I'm hoping for teleportation, a la Star Trek, or personal flight. Then I can go to the video store without waiting in all those lines at the Red Box!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
okay- maybe this makes me an old person- but what do they have if they don't have email?? I didn't know I was so culturally irrelavant.
ReplyDeleteMe either! Texting is the big thing. Actually, it's the only thing. It is funny that as cheap and fast as email is to writing a letter or whatever we did before email, texting is faster than that!
ReplyDeleteThe kids are fast at texting and I guess don't need the length of a big ol' email! Crazy how email sort of skipped a generation, I wondering what might replace texting for Hugh?!!