Technology increases our efficiency, productivity and brings
us closer as a people. At least that is what we are meant to believe. Like with
every good lie there is some truth to that statement but in
reality technology is nothing more than a brilliantly disguised tool of the
devil. We are meant to believe that we are more efficient, more productive and
closer as a people but closely examine your own life and you will find that
this is not close to being true.
Let’s look at one piece of technology that none of us can
live without – the telephone. Back when it became popular every house had one.
It was found in a centralized location mounted to a wall or on the counter and
you had as much mobility as far as you could stretch the two foot cord. The
first innovation was to create a longer cord, some long enough that you could
stretch them all the way into another room. Then we went cordless allowing the
user free roam of the entire house.
When you wanted to talk to someone you called their house
and hoped that they would answer. If they didn’t you hoped that someone else
would so you could leave a message. Out of necessity the answering machine was
invented so you would never miss a call again. Land lines gave way to cell
phones so you could get a call no matter where you were. This was done all in
the name of efficiency, productivity but mostly convenience.
When I entered the work force there were no such things as
cell phones. I went to work, did my job and came home. Work was work - home was home. The two did not cross. Work had a phone in case
there was an emergency but it hardly ever interrupted my
work. Today I carry a cell phone for work and am accessible twenty four hours a
day, seven days a week, even on Christmas Eve. I even can do all of my
emails directly from my phone. I never
really leave work and if I leave my phone on my desk because I need a break I
usually come back to a bunch of voice mails and texts from people worried
something happened to me because I did not answer the first seventeen times
they called. It has become easy for anyone to call me anytime for any reason no
matter what I am doing.
But telephones have shrunk the world and brought us closer
together. I no longer have to take a couple hours of my time and go visit my
mother. I can now give her a quick five minute phone call once a month to let
her know I care. How efficient is that? Even conversations are becoming things of the past. I can
type out a few words in a short sentence and send a text. I don’t even have to
use words. I can use emoticons and cute
text abbreviation. RUOKJ?
We have a world of people addicted to their phones, many
of who could not function without them. Several people I know even carry two or
three phones with them at all times. They are constantly jumping from one to
the other. Try having a conversation with someone today that isn’t interrupted by
a call or text message. We have become a distracted people. I sat at a red
light one day as nine cars made a left hand turn in front of me. Out of the
nine cars, seven of the people were either on a call or were trying to text
while making the turn. It has gotten so bad that we even have to sadly announce
before each Mass, “Out of respect of our liturgy please turn off all cell
phones or set them to vibrate now.” And even then it is not a rare occurrence
when someone’s goofy ringtone goes off in the middle of Mass. I was even
present when a priest’s cell phone rang right at the end of the service.
A distracted people is exactly what the devil wants us to
be. He wants us to pay attention to anything other than what is really
important. He loves it when instead of actually visiting with family all we do
is check out their Face Book page to see what’s new in their lives. He is
tickled pink that the very things that were suppose to make out lives more efficient,
productive and bring us closer together has filled our lives with so much noise
that we don’t have the time for anything or anyone. I would volunteer at the
soup kitchen but I just don’t have the time. Hey, I made it to Easter Mass what
more do you expect? I know I was ten minutes late and complained about not
finding a seat but I made it for communion. I would have stayed until the end
but I had other places I had to be…
One of the best things a family can do is to eat an evening
meal together. Very few families actually do this anymore. Our lives have
become so efficient from the technology that no one has the time. Even when
they do many times the family members sit in silence as they thumb away at a
tiny keyboard on some electronic gizmo. Time and experiences are no longer
shared. If I want to know how my daughter’s day went I have an easier time finding out by looking
at Face Book.
In many ways I envy the Amish. They have their own issues
but they still eat together as a family and gather as a community. Their focus
is on work, family and prayer and not on what Miley Cyrus did today or who wore
what where. I secretly hope that a massive solar flare comes one day and makes
them the technologically superior people.
I am an engineer and a father of five in the modern world. I
won’t be trading my cell phone for a horse and black hat anytime soon. But I can recognize the hand of the devil at
work and do my best to keep my priorities where they should be. Love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions but if I did I would
resolve to live the next year as simply as I could, actually caring for those
around me and using the tools of the devil as little as possible.