The Conundrum of Technology

June 2023

Today I ponder the power of nature.  It’s a relentless influence on our lives. And how it seems impossible to tame.  I was sitting outside this evening. Enjoying a perfect spring twilight. The sun was in its final moments, slowly descending below the horizon to mark the completion of another day. The sky was clear, and the stars were just beginning to pop. The birds were chirping their last songs of the evening. Frogs were beginning their beckoning cries for mates. The honk of a group of geese flying over reverberated in the multicolored sky. Deer were emerging from the nearby forest to add their part to the narrative. Everything seemed flawless.

I sat peacefully, sipping a fine evening-closing cocktail, and enjoying the moment. Strangely, I felt like something was missing. I wasn’t sure what, but I felt slightly uncomfortable. My exterior lights popped on to illuminate my outdoors in subtle and relaxing ways. Still, I was uneasy. I couldn’t figure out what was amiss.

Looking for answers. I sat back on my ergonomic outdoor lounge chair. Not a whisp of a breeze adulterated the air. The temperature was perfect. Not a bug to be found nor a scent that wasn’t pleasing to the senses. It was a pristine moment. Yet I still felt something was lacking. I was edgy and didn’t know why.

Squirming in my chair to adjust, I realized why.  I didn’t have my cell phone. I realized that fact was the cause of my discomfort. Not that I didn’t know where it was, which causes me extreme angst. I was just without my psychological crutch. You see, it’s a very lonely world without your best friend. Your conduit to the world. My cell phone and I are connected in a way that I can be connected to no other. We are partners.

Despite all the extraordinary natural stimuli, and the beautiful organic surroundings, I was missing that one essential piece of the puzzle. The technological equivalent of a best friend. A confidant. A security blanket. But this friend doesn’t really like nature.  Any more than it likes living in your pocket or sitting on the toilet with you. It’s a very demanding friend.  It hates you having interpersonal connections and strong relationships with anyone else.  Including nature. How sad.

Actually, I considered myself to be above such things. But I’m not. I am a prisoner just like most of you. A hostage to the technological equivalent of a codependent partner. We have a strong connection but that form of connectivity leads to stress and anxiety.  Like the separation anxiety I was feeling right now. What had I missed?

The fact is, phones provide a link to all of creation.  To the ecosystems of social media. To “friends”, many of which we care little or nothing about, yet follow them diligently.  To information we think we need but really do not.  It gives us the ability to feel connected and in control, when that is so far from the truth. But most importantly, it gives us the ability to communicate rapidly with the world.

Being glued to our phones also bears the assumption that we'll respond as instantaneously as we receive a message. Feeling like you're always “on” is exhausting. But being accessible 24/7 is not only unenjoyable - it's impossible. This is an addiction. In the end, this dependence damages your ability to interact in the real world.  As it was doing to me now.  It was a perfect evening.  Almost.

I barely remember my life without my phone. And I had more than 35 years to try. Just think what it must be like for someone that has never been without one. Never been alone with their own thoughts. Or heard the powerful voice of nature and experienced the joys that amazing voice can bring.

I reflected on how technology survives despite often not being a betterment to us as human beings.  How immediate gratification is more important than enjoying the moment.  How it creates misunderstanding and miscommunication through a lack of interaction and intimacy. How it gets in the way of appreciation of the small things. The wonders that surround us.  I thought about all of this.  As I sat there typing this on my phone.