Everything is Amazing and Nobody is Happy
It is not a new video, but I saw this for the first time, and it struck a chord.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itn8TwFCO4M&feature=related
Everything is amazing and nobody is happy.
There is a lot of truth in this, isn’t there? How quickly we have become accustomed to the advances of technology.
My daughter recently saw a vinyl single and asked what it was. When I explained that it was what we used to listen to music, she was amazed and shocked in equal measures. What? Only 2 tracks, and you have to turn it over half way through?
Now she plugs in her iPod and can listen to one of thousands of tracks, can arrange them in playlists, play a particular genre. When she is fed up listening to music, she can play games, take pictures, email friends – all on her iPod that is smaller than my old red plastic Walkman.
Right now I am listening to Heart FM through an app on my iPhone.
When I first moved to Germany, one of the things that I missed was the local radio station. I can remember driving to Cologne and waiting for the moment just past Frankfurt when we could listen to the British forces radio – it is transmitted in the northern part of Germany where the British forces were stationed. We would make this trip every couple of months to stock up on salted butter, naan bread and korma sauce from Marks and Spencer. Now all these things can be ordered via online stores. M&S deliver to Switzerland, although sadly not their food items, but their clothes and some gifts all for just £7 delivery fee.
Last night, I was feeling unwell so went to bed with my iPad. I checked out Twitter, watched some funny videos and played Words With Friends with a few different people. My husband was impressed that I could play this game with a friend in France and asked how it worked. “It is magic”, I replied.
And it is.
Technology has opened up a whole new world. Where we can chat, argue, campaign, amuse ourselves and waste a LOT of time.
So next time your computer takes a couple of minutes to load a video, or the Shockwave plug in crashes, pat your PC or Mac gently and thank it for its services.
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5 Comments
Charlie
Everything IS pretty amazing, isn’t it?
When people get nostalgic for days of yore I always think that they are just not thinking things through properly.
MmeLindor
That is what my mother in law says, as she points to the fully automatic washing machine and dishwasher.
Jackstarbright
As someone who once worked in technology companies – I’m constantly amazed by both the pace of consumer technology development, and the way we consumers accept it and adapt our our lifestyles to use it. And yes, then take it all totally for granted.
Did you listen to R4’s excellent mini-series ‘Stephen Fry on the Phone’?
What struck me was that all the incredible mobile phone innovations had occurred within my lifetime. Most within my adult lifetime. And I’m really not that old!
Lynn
I have not heard of that series, but it does sound interesting. Will look it up, thanks.
Yes, when I think back to my first
brickmobile phone – it was huge and unwieldy, and you could only PHONE someone on it. #primitiveThe Foreigner
I love this clip. I’m so grateful for services like Skype so my family can actually SEE our daughter instead of just hearing about her through letters or over the phone. Feel like it certainly says a lot about how easily dissatisfied we are, too (at least how dissatisfied I am!)…or maybe it’s just spoilt…or both?