{"id":5806,"date":"2011-05-01T12:30:23","date_gmt":"2011-05-01T17:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/?p=5806"},"modified":"2023-12-08T21:56:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T03:56:49","slug":"technology-has-ruined-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/2011\/05\/technology-has-ruined-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology has ruined me"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I was watching a clip on YouTube earlier and thought to myself &#8220;Jesus, look at this horrible video quality. These definitions are the opposite of high. The amount of p\u2019s in this resolution is unacceptable. When was this recorded, the Stone Age?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was from 2001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Apple Music Event 2001-The First Ever iPod Introduction\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kN0SVBCJqLs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Everything was chunkier back then. Even CEOs.<\/em><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p><em><\/em><wp-block data-block=\"core\/more\"><\/wp-block><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This struck me as surreal, because I distinctly remember 2001. We\u2019re not talking about some time before I was born or when I was too young to remember clearly; I was 14 years old. I thought technology was pretty good back then. I was quite happy with it, in fact. You probably were too. I remember online videos being a marvel of modern science, not a choppy, pixilated mess. That was the standard. We didn\u2019t know any better and we got on pretty well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But compared to what we have now, it was in fact a choppy, pixelated mess. Of course, we didn\u2019t know that at the time. Or even if we did, it\u2019s not like we could ask for anything better. That was already the bleeding edge. We were blissfully unaware of how crummy we actually had it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" data-attachment-id=\"5823\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/2011\/05\/technology-has-ruined-me\/xp\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?fit=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"xp\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Windows XP&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Once upon a time, this was new and exciting.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?fit=602%2C452&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/xp.png?zoom=3&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Once upon a time, this was new and exciting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you had a time machine and dropped me back to the turn of the century, I would probably go insane. Even though I was perfectly fine with the state of technology at the time, I wouldn\u2019t want to relive it. Sure, we had the Internet back then. Cell phones too. Heck, even Playstation 2. It doesn\u2019t seem that bad on paper. Most of the modern conveniences we have now were already there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it is that bad. We might have had those things, but they don\u2019t even begin to compare to what I&#8217;m used to now. My iPhone is exponentially more powerful than the computer I had then, and I keep it in my <em>pocket<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve seen the gates of Mount Olympus. I\u2019ve tasted the divine ambrosia. I\u2019ve cavorted with gods and lived like a king. I can\u2019t go back. Not ever. I would sooner die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, not really. But you get what I&#8217;m driving at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" data-attachment-id=\"5812\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/2011\/05\/technology-has-ruined-me\/smbc\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?fit=540%2C1377&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"540,1377\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"smbc\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;http:\/\/www.smbc-comics.com&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?fit=401%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?zoom=2&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/smbc.gif?zoom=3&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">http:\/\/www.smbc-comics.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve recently come to realize how hopelessly addicted to technology I am. I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s a strictly negative quality (it probably is), but it is undoubtedly true. It is extremely rare for me to go very long without using it. If I\u2019m not at my computer, I\u2019m using my phone. If I\u2019m not using my phone, I\u2019m probably playing video games. If I\u2019m not doing that, I\u2019m thinking about one (or all) of the above. I can hardly go to the bathroom anymore if I don\u2019t have my phone, DS, or laptop with me. God forbid I don\u2019t have something to occupy myself with for 2 whole minutes. I simply don\u2019t know how to be <em>bored<\/em> any more. can&#8217;t even imagine what I would do if I had to take a road trip now like I did when I was a kid. How did I possibly entertain myself? Counting trees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My biggest vice, as I\u2019ve alluded to a few times already, is my phone. I can\u2019t be without it. I get visibly anxious if I don\u2019t have it. Even if I\u2019m not actively using it, it has to be around or else I don\u2019t feel right. What if I get a call (or more realistically, a text message)? What if someone emails me? What if something cool happens and I want to take a picture? What if I suddenly become curious about something and want to look it up on Wikipedia? It doesn\u2019t matter if I\u2019m just in the kitchen and my phone is on my desk, I have to go get it. It\u2019s a sickness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wasn\u2019t always this way, though. I didn\u2019t even have a cell phone until the very end of 2004. And that was just a crappy little Ericsson that came free with my plan. It didn\u2019t even have a camera. I didn\u2019t get one of those until 2006 when I bought a used phone from my roommate. But in February 2008, everything changed. I got my first iPhone and it was all down hill from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But honestly, it\u2019s not really the phone\u2019s fault. I was always pretty addicted to technology. Some of my earliest memories from when I was a toddler are of playing Nintendo. I would spend hours playing video games growing up. Then we got a computer and those hours got longer. Along came the internet and I tacked on even more hours. At least though, I could always pry myself away eventually. After all, I couldn\u2019t take the computer with me. If I wanted to do something else I&#8217;d have to leave the internet alone for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That isn\u2019t the case anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/iphone4.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" data-attachment-id=\"5832\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/2011\/05\/technology-has-ruined-me\/iphone4\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/iphone4.jpg?fit=173%2C359&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"173,359\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"iphone4\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Holy me in your tender electronic embrace and never let go.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/iphone4.jpg?fit=173%2C359&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/iphone4.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5832\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Holy me in your tender electronic embrace and never let go.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The iPhone was but the weapon with which the crime was committed. The real culprit was mobility. I didn\u2019t need to pull myself away because now I could just pick up and go. It made things both better and worse at the same time. It was liberating while also enslaving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time though, even that wasn\u2019t enough. Like any junkie, I got accustomed to what I had and I needed a stronger fix. I lusted after the newest and best. Unfortunately for me, my electronic heroin does not come cheap. But budget be damned, I was fiending. I finally upgraded to the iPhone 4 and started on an all-new high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every time something new comes along, the old stuff looks like crap. With every advancement I become exceedingly more cynical. That NES I cut my teeth on? Obsolete. My old computers? Garbage. I can\u2019t help but look at my original iPhone with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.friedyoda.com\/noisecast\/2011\/02\/out-of-the-way-grandpa\/\">derision<\/a>. I know eventually even my iPhone 4, the current gadget love of my life, will be replaced with something newer and fancier. It&#8217;s a vicious cycle that I will continually repeat. Out with the old, in with the new. That is, until the new becomes old then out with that too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Daft Punk - Technologic (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D8K90hX4PrE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With all of this being said, do I regret being a slave to technology? No, not particularly. Maybe it\u2019s Stockholm Syndrome and I\u2019ve begun to identify with my captors. Maybe I\u2019m just a mindless idiot. Whatever, I don\u2019t really care. I have always loved tech and always will. When the robot uprising happens I\u2019ll probably take their side. Of course, they\u2019re just going to kill me anyway, but at least I\u2019ll die happy knowing that I could have checked the weather absolutely any time I wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adults would always tell me I would rot my brain if I spent too much time on the computer. I always thought that was nonsense. If anything, my mind is more active than ever. Maybe <em>that<\/em> is the real problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Technology may have ruined me, but I&#8217;m okay with that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How technology transformed a bored kid into a slave to the latest 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