How do you feel about today's technology?

@itepuppy With technology, we can communicate often.

@itepuppy Hmm, no. I met people via internet only, that I have as friends who unexpectedly fixes laptops. My laptop was a dud so gave me such trouble. All the while my internet friend has helped me, so been communicating a lot.

Do you ever feel that you communicate less with those who do not communicate as much with the technology that you use, though?

What good and bad do you see? And do you feel that one outweighs the other ultimately today?

@itepuppy Well, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful reply yourself! To answer your question, personally, I still interact with people face to face just the same as I did before. As for talking on the phone, I have always had a strange aversion to that. Part of it is because I rely heavily on the non-verbal cues of a conversation as I can more easily interpret what other people are feeling and how to best interact with them. At the same time, I tend to write better than I talk, and am also the type of person who thinks before I speak rather than as I speak, and the long, awkward pauses that may create at times just does not translate well over the phone, so e-mail and text come more naturally to me in that regard. I do know what you mean, though -- it reminds me of a social media meme I saw a while back that said, "Come on over to my house, we're going to sit around and stare at our phones!" I do find sometimes, though, that sometimes it is easier for people to misinterpret things in an e-mail because you're lacking all the non-verbal cues I alluded to earlier - as well as the verbal tones, too. Because of this, there have been times people have taken things as far more seriously/personally than they were intended. Use of emoticons tends to help there, however. :-)

I second the GPS thing...it's a major time-saver when it comes to directions and to be able to get places fast. But do you feel that the ability to text and email has simultaneously taken the happiness and human nature out of the communications you have with others rather than calling or speaking to them more face to face as before? I too, have found myself with a preference to converse over email or text as the alternative to a phone call or a face-to-face conversation, but there are times that I feel slighted by that when I really want to talk to people but they prefer to text or email me rather than speak to me. At times, I feel that it even adds an element of lonliness to what used to be more human interaction and reciprocation. I say that as a computer programmer for over 30 years that simultaneously finds time to write and feels that despite the excitement and enjoyment of technology from the past to the present day, there are times I feel....well, left out...of what was supposed to be a more promising future. You're right about the longevity of the electronics and devices, too. They have become more cheaply made, not as efficient or well designed a lot of ways to cut costs, and overall more of an appeal to the commonality of what everyday people buy but still a far cry from what they need. I remember one of my first computer keyboards made out of metal keys, real metal that had no plastic and actual springs rather than pads underneath it. It was a lot of fun to type on and feel the expression of what was written. anymore, the keys are what, only high enough to push if we're lucky enough to still have buttons rather than using a slow touch screen on a mobile device? Back then, you never had to read up on how to make any of these devices last longer because they already did, and they were easier to fix, too! Now, I've read and have had to deal with situations where corporations have tried to make it "illegal" for you to fix your own electronics and/or repair computers that belong to others. It's nice to see the advances, but sad to see what has become when greed and profit became the motivation more than ideas and pioneer innovations. I really do hope that you get your money's worth out of them, because these days, it's a feat to do! Thanks for the detailed and thoughtful reply! I appreciate everyone's feedback on here, but am very much looking forward to your comments and ideas with future posts! Take care!

@itepuppy No, it's safe.

It has also terminated much unborn lives too.

You have a positive outlook on the things that it still does right, and I like that. We are able to converse more easily when there are cultural or other gaps from distance that used to make it difficult or next to impossible to communicate. I can understand the happy go lucky parents and mothers to be excited to be able to see their baby, too...but do you feel that the ultrasound technology used to do that hurts the baby's development even while it gives parents and doctors that glimpse that they might otherwise not have?

I have to agree with that. I see it happening everyday gradually but incrementally...like a scary roller coaster ride that gets faster but then you realize why it's scary because there's a real obstacle ahead that you have to avoid hitting. Do you feel people will snap out of it, or only be more controlled by the desire to do more but be more lazy as they do?

@itepuppy I have to choose the second one. We will be more controlled over-all by our own creation, therefore making us all the more dependable on technology, which is not a good news for all of us.

@itepuppy That's right, the constitution is written in cursive writing. I wonder it it also might be rewritten in printing? I am sure that it is. We never owned any video or gaming systems when I was younger, think I was a pretty fortunate child.

You're certainly correct about your observations, and you're right as well that handwriting has become a lost art on today's youth and subsequent generations. There was a time when schools used to advocate for and praise children for their ability to read and write cursive, but now they penalize them for it. Another thing that stuck out for me from what you wrote is the fact that a lot of historical things that people (especially young ones) need to know in many parts throughout the world are written in cursive. As an example, the United States constitution, British history, and many Italian and other European texts were written as cursive only. How will these kids ever know the truth about history if they are denied the right to know how to read the cursive script it was written with? How will they ever feel comfortable enough to read a book when all they ever see are tablets? It's a slippery slope to a place I have questions about, even as a former advocate of said technology prior to today's erm...transitions with it. I really do wish kids played outside more with or without their use of electronics, as a way to be happy, and for the sake of avoiding vitamin D deficiency among other things. Thanks for your thoughts, commentary, and feedback. Much appreciated. :) P.S: I'm guilty of owning an Atari 2600 as my first gaming system, but I stayed with the retro games mostly and never did let it get out of hand as a lot of kids today have with the 3D games they use.

Do you feel we'll get to the point where people as a generation won't know how to interact with one another anymore without texting or emails and media online to make them comfortable?