Why so much FAIL in the digital world?

Everything in it is spot on. We're raising children now that literally don't know how to handle not having the internet, a cell phone, or an MP3 player. What's entirely sad is that though I am no longer a child, I count myself amongst them. I grew up in the 80s, when none of these things existed, and now I've become one of the zombies. *reminds himself to disconnect from the world this evening and read a book*

The truth is this world would fall to pieces without computers, and that is an extremely dangerous state to be in. Especially now that we've seen just how vulnerable we are to hacking/cyber-warfare. As far as tech failing so much, IMHO, it comes down to greed. Tech companies give us the minimum amount of features for the maximum amount of money. I hate believing this, but I think many companies intend for their products to break to keep the money rolling in from support, new purchases and repairs.

Companies don't care anymore, they don't stand behind their products like they did in the "good old days". Now you spend a few hundred dollars, you're told you'll use the product/service the way they want you to use it, the carrier they want you to have a data plan with, and the software they want you to have (Here's looking at you, Apple.). And, if it breaks, you use the third-party support system they want you to use, for the price the third-party support system wants you to pay (Here's looking at you...well, every company on planet Earth).

 

they probably said the same things about running water and electricity.

 

GREED,ANGER and STUPIDITY are the driving forces in our contemporary world,be it in the civilised western world or the poor side of the world.

We all lose our minds as to the question what a human being really need to be really human.
I think it does not matter where you live and who you are we all share the same globe.

IMHO in many cases computers an related stuff are a poor substitute for a real creative life.

 

How many even know about these stuff.

We are in transition from analoog to digital and for many older people its a huge challenge to deal with.
The younger and future generations will grow up in a digital world and security measures will come natural to them.

 

Each time there is a major (paradigm) shift the wails and laments go up.

Of course things are different now than they were before, its called progress (no doubt some will not see it as progress though). We are in the transition phase from old to new and its tough for many but by the time the kids are oldsters like many of us it will all be quite normal and going back will be like us considering going back to horse and buggy, no penicillin, no telephones, no electricity, and a lifespan of on average under 65 (not that long ago).

Change is stressful, no question but without change we would still be living in caves and hunting with the latest technological marvel, the bow and arrow. Personally I would rather be here than at any other period in history.

If you do not care for today may I ask just when you would prefer?

Oh, and by the way, if you yearn for a simpler more rustic life it is possible to have it. Mind you, keep in mind, you would have to give up a lot of what you take for granted.

As to greed, thats been with us for as long as we have existed as a species. Its no worse now than its ever been.

 

Technological progress is inevitable, as everything around us is basically geared up to improve efficiency and speed with the ultimate goal of having 7 billions of human beings living simultaneously.

The equation, however doesn't take happiness into consideration: the average person in the Middle Ages could have possibly and arguably been happier than its counterpart in the 21st century, despite the lack of democracy, hard work, and short life expectancy(reading Timeline by Michael Crichton, made me feel like I've lost the kind of physicality which in the right amount would be quite thrilling to have).

We are living on the cusp of a new era, the digital age, and human beings are going to be radically different from the archetype of the early 20th century. When something doesn't work properly on my computer, I get nervous and irritable until it is fixed (I know it is a ridiculous behaviour, but it can't be helped). Nowadays, I could live without a car, a TV, but not without the Internet, even though traditional books are still holding their ground as a source of information.

 

Those things did exist in the 80's. I got my first video game system (Atari 2600) in like 1983 or something. I got a Nintendo (NES) in about '86 or '87 and played that thing non-stop. Finally in 1988, at the age of 10, I got my first PC (C-64) and had it connected to a modem so I could get on a local BBS. The only thing I didn't have was a cell phone, since they were gigantic back then.

So, even though I am in my 30's now, I can relate to this current generation of techno geek kids, since I was raised in the original generation when it was all getting started.

But as for how we humans would survive without computers, some of us might not fare very well, but I think most of us would find ways to survive. You hear survival stories all the time, and most of us have the strength to survive if push comes to shove. Our ancestors, not even that long ago in historic terms, had to survive the hot summers with no AC, ceiling fans, and without ice in their drinks. They had to survive the cold ass winters with nothing but a fireplace. If they had to "relieve" themselves in the middle of the night, they had to go outside in the snow and sit on the nasty toilet in the out-house. I can't imagine doing that, but I am sure I would get used to it if I had to. Of course, the old timers had the advantage of not knowing anything better, which is a big advantage over us spoiled people today.

But as technology progresses and the economy becomes more and more reliant on mental instead of physical labor, the homo-sapien will evolve along with it. I think in a few thousand more millennia our bodies will shrink and our heads will become even larger -- much like the sketches of so-called "alien greys" you see on TV.

 

I suppose if you were of the upper crust maybe (but possibly not even for those folks) but for the peasants (who made up the majority) and lower middle class (if they existed at all) life was often brutal. Think Charles Dickens, London of the time before and after the plague, the period leading up to the French revolution, the period after the French Revolution, the inquisition, the Potato Famine in Ireland, and of course the dark ages, etc., etc., etc.. Its human nature to romanticize the good old days but in reality they were not so great when you actually take a close look.

In truth it does not seem to matter how well off we are as a society. We always seem to want more and we find things to complain about. There have always been threats whether from disease, invasion, drought, a brutal ruler, or those threats we are familiar with today. Thats the way the world works and thats human nature for you.

PS: my mother-in-law is fond of saying that the world has gone crazy today. That things were so much better/safer when she was younger. I point out the threat of a nuclear holocaust, WW1 and WW2, the Great Depression, Vietnam, Pol Pot, Communism, etc., that she lived through. I also point out the fact that at 90 years old she has lived longer than the vast majority of humans that have ever existed before her (and her health is rather good, she lives on her own and manages quite well). So it would seem that the past was not better after all, possibly quite a bit worse.

Oh, and by the way, my mother-in-laws father died young, he was only 32 years old,,,, the cause,,,,an infected tooth.

Better?

I think not.

 

IMO past and present are no different in terms of good or bad.
Different times with different toys to play with,but essentially nothing has much changed.
If greed and anger will stay the dominating factor in many human actions then how we can hope for a better future.

Can we explain the difference between a moslim suicide terrorist and we who in a very conscious way destroy our earth ?

A terrorist destroy in name of Allah,
We destroy in name of money.

How dare we can blame only the terrorist if we do the same on a bigger scale.

 

I agree with you. We seem to be a very shortsighted species. We have so much potential and ability (landing a craft on Mars etc boggles the mind for example) but we are rather infantile at the same time. So much greed and envy, hatred of folks for things that happened hundreds if not thousands of years ago, etc., etc.

Very sad.

But enough of this. This is a tech forum, lets get back to helping and learning from each other.

On many levels we can be generous and helpful, kind and considerate. Maybe we need to focus more on the good we do in our daily lives. This forum is an example of this.