The advancements in technology that have taken place in the past 40 years are nothing short of astounding. What once required the space of an entire building has been reduced to fit inside a phone stuffed into your pants pocket. Although this is extraordinary, our expectation of what’s accessible has changed along with it. We’re no longer thankful for what we have, we’re constantly looking forward to what’s next, creating a societal planned obsolescence of all things.
In the mid-1980s, my uncle bought a Nissan Maxima for my aunt. I remember sitting in the backseat, marveling at the digital display on the dashboard and center console. Unlike the American cars I was used to, with their clunky buttons and sub par stereos, this car was loaded with high end technology of the day. It looked like a fighter jet or something out of a science fiction movie. My younger self could hardly absorb the sensory experience that took place every time I stepped foot inside the car.
Overloading our senses can be compared to a drug. Rather than delaying our gratification we can be instantly entertained, providing the hit of dopamine we’re craving but may not even realize. Waiting for our favorite song to play on the radio or fast forwarding through a cassette to hear the song we want has been replaced by YouTube and Pandora. Our tolerance for a scratched record or skipping compact disc is no longer required. An entire generation has no idea what I mean by even mentioning music that isn’t perfectly clear each time it’s played.
On a recent trip, my daughter and I were watching TV in the hotel room. She wanted to watch Disney but had no idea how to access the channel without using the Disney App. Her experience is vastly different from mine. Her ability to watch what she wants, when she wants to is essentially instantaneous. There are no commercials with very little delay between her desire to watch and the show downloaded before her eyes. Watching the Disney channel on You Tube TV was comparable to torture. What’s normal for me is very abnormal for her.
Don’t get me wrong, advancements in technology are certainly not a bad thing. The fact I don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on cassettes or compact discs to access my favorite music is definitely a plus. You also won’t hear me complaining about TVs costing hundreds rather than thousands of dollars. Our ability to access what we want, when we want it, has never been faster or easier. So, what’s the problem?
Similar to the 0-60 second time for a car, we’re always wanting more. It’s human nature to view the world from a lens of “what’s next” rather than enjoying “what’s now.” If the iPhone has taught us anything, a few upgrades each year can drive a wave of demand for the newest model. The phone you have may work perfectly fine, but it’s not the latest version and is therefore on the fast track to being made obsolete. While you’re at it, you may want to purchase the latest iWatch as well. Before you know it, you’re spending thousands of dollars on upgraded models of the items you already own.
The answer is not to hole yourself in the basement with a Goonies t-shirt on while you pop an Indiana Jones tape into the VCR. Nostalgia aside, burying your head in the sand to technology will only make it harder to function in society.
The key is to survey the landscape in order to determine whether it makes sense to buy the latest and greatest of anything. Will what you have work for the long term or will it no longer function due to outdated software or updates? Do you need a TV built into your refrigerator or will the one you have keep your food cold for the time being without it?
Don’t fall behind but stop falling forward for things that aren’t necessary if what you have works just fine.
You may want to consider a new Goonies t-shirt though. That size small is looking a bit snug.
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