Blog Assignment #13

So I decided I would try my hand at this technology fast for a day. I decided Friday would be the day. Now why would anybody in their right mind choose Friday of all days to try and not use technology. Let me explain the method to my madness. I was excused from PT with ROTC that morning; so that meant that I didn't have to use my phone to get up at 4:30. I could have my wife wake me up in time for me to leave for school at 8. Second, I didn't have to work that night and that meant no using the touch screens at work to ring in the customers orders. I also had a 400+ page book that I needed to read for my history class. This seemed like the perfect storm and a great opportunity to not use any form of technology till Saturday. Well, in the words of Lee Corso on ESPN, "Not so fast my friend!"

One thing that I have learned is that my cell phone is a direct extension of me. When you have kids and a wife that need to be able to get in touch with you at a moments notice, it becomes nearly impossible to not use it. It's funny because I never had a cell phone until I was 19 years old. I made it 19 years without a phone and yet I am struggling for cell phone sobriety for 24 hours. The point is that I made it to about 1:30 in the afternoon before my wife was calling one of my friends that I was going to school with to get in touch with me. She needed me to pick up my son by 3:00 who was sick at school. 13 1/2 hours until my first violation. I would say that is a win. Unfortunately, it would not be my last violation.

I go to my last class 5 minutes later and I am informed that I have an assignment due by midnight that night that involves going online and watching a video and taking a test on it. I'm thinking to myself that maybe I can get a pass for this unnecessary violation. I mean school should count as a pass for this technology fasting. But a person of integrity like myself decides that I am simply making excuses and will have to fess up to my breaking the rules. Needless to say that by 6:00 p.m. that night I had now used a cell phone and a computer on my mecca to no technology land. I was down in the dumps but feeling that 6 more hours could be reached. Focus Owen. You are almost there!!!!

So I get engulfed in my book and I am getting to about 10:00 p.m. that night when I make my last and fatal error with my assignment. I reach over to my ipod, turn on some nice tunes at a low volume so that I can have a little background while reading a great book on the abolition of the slave trade in Great Britain. My wife walks in and says, "What are you doing?" I simply reply that I am turning on something to help me relax and focus on my book. "Well, aren't you breaking the rules?" I look at her dumbfounded and all I can mutter is, "Guilty as charged." This technology thing is pretty darn important and it is nearly impossible to function without it.

The conclusion I have of my study is that the world has become dependent on the use of computers, cell phones, and IPods. Yet, many educators feel that technology is EVIL and UNNECESSARY in the classroom. This is the same people that get on their phone on their break and plan their weekend, order supplies, and then respond to emails from concerned parents about the conduct of their child. I truly believe that computers and technology in general are enhancing our world and we have become a much more accessible community because of the speed of information. I remember trying to call my friends and if they weren't home you simply called someone else to see what they were doing. Imagine if high school students had to actually drive around to get in touch with someone. I won't even get into life without text messages, facebook, or twitter. In fact, the creator of Facebook is the youngest billionaire in the world. Isn't that amazing? One of the richest people in the world made his fortune making it easier for people to gossip. That is truly a significant realization that technology has become the utmost of importance in our daily lives!!!