Technology Abuse

Years ago, when I was studying for my GP, I learnt the technique of citing both sides of the argument and then try to sway your opinion to one side and then make your final conclusion. There was one particular topic I remember, something about 'whether technology has made people closer or drifting them apart'. Now, I'm thinking of the stories in 'You've Got Mail' & 'Turn Left, Turn Right'.

It is inevitable that technology has made communication easier than just years ago. But have we really benefit from it? Have we really get to know better through MSN? Have we really kept in touch by adding each other in Friendster?

I do admit that sometimes I judge a person by the number of friends he/she has. But what does the number shows? I have so many 'friends' who are just 'hi' 'bye' acquaintances and some added me because they know my friends. Some are almost strangers if we ever meet on the street, since they have changed so much over the years that I have to stare at the photos to recognize them. Well, at least I know how they look like now.

Beside that, we have been taking the handphone for granted nowadays. Since when did it started that you can leave home without money but NEVER without your phone? We have been overly relying on the handphone that we are almost forgetting our home numbers!

Sometimes I realized that it's a blessing to be without a handphone. Now I almost understand why Lina never got a phone herself. (She's the only one friend I have who never fell into the tech-savvy trap. And I still couldn't figure out how she did it.) It is a freedom that everybody chose to throw away when they rather let friends and mum track them down through SMS and irritating phonecalls. Which explains why I'd go missing some days in the buzzing city with my handphone vibrating under my pillow.

Get to a place I like,
full of strangers to make sure that I'm alone,
let nobody have the chance to contact me,
and live in my temporary voluntary freedom world.