I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

Preface:
The title comes from a song by the Beach Boys, and a documentary about the life of Brian Wilson (reference HERE).  There's a two-part bit of irony about this title though:

1. I don't actually like the song.  Ditto for the lyrics.  The sentiment fits for the theme of the posting though, and I have a soft spot for interesting titles.
2. Speaking of the sentiment, I personally am okay in these times...it's many other folks that I know where I have worries.

On to the posting.

                                                                               ******

Ms. Rivers and I were talking the other day about how much the world has changed over the course of our lives, which brought out some of the survivor guilt I occasionally feel when my mind is allowed to think about the bigger, more weighty questions of life.  Damn, that was a long sentence.  Note though that was in no way presented as some kind of admiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald*.  And so, I digress.

Anyway, younger folks may not appreciate what I’m referring to, but when I was a teenager, the following things did not exist:

Cellphones/Smartphones

Desktop/Laptop/Tablet computers

The Internet

Social media

Smart appliances

Internet accessible video cameras

On-line college courses/degrees

On-line documents (like pay stubs, tax records, etc.)

On-Line time punching/time clocks at work

It’s worth the time to reflect on just how much the above-mentioned things have become an essential part of our lives.  How many of us could go a day…or a week…without access to some of the above?  I readily admit that it would be tough for me. I wonder how I managed to survive without those things all those years ago.  Yet some do to this very day, although I’m not always sure that it is a conscious choice.

Today’s technology-infused world requires a certain degree of (mental) dexterity, patience and a willingness to explore.  These are not innate qualities that everyone has, for better or for worse, when it comes to technology.  While I am definitely not intimidated by the latest techno-thing, whatever that might be, that’s far less about the thing itself and far more about me.  Where there are things that I have not adopted (some of the smart-home stuff, for example), that’s entirely because I just don’t see the value in how it would relate to my life.  The main thing though is that there is no barrier for me to add new technology into my life if I see the benefit.

That last sentence is the important one, in my opinion.  What if someone had some kind of barrier to the broader use of technology?  Granted that there are adaptive technologies that can make the use of things like the Internet easier for individuals with disabilities, but that’s a different scenario.  How so?  It assumes that the individual wants to use the technology in the first place, and they had the ability to do so with assistance.

This leads to a bigger picture kind of question: What obligation does society have to individuals who choose (willingly or unwillingly) not to use this stuff? 

Part of the above question comes from reading the news and seeing that the Social Security Administration may close some regional offices and do away with their phone system for certain kinds of things.  What would be left?  Physical offices that are farther away and the Internet.  Both remaining options can present real issues for some.

All of this leads to the central point I’m trying to make, namely that I think society has an obligation to make doing essential things easy for everyone.  That includes those who may not embrace technology in the same way that the majority seems to, increasingly so.

A harsh reality is that society is not doing this.  In fact, and getting back to my comments about the Social Security Administration, elements of society are making this situation worse.  Yes, I suspected that the same deliberation may have occurred when, for example, the first telephones went into use.  Conceptually that’s a valid comparison, but only until we dig a bit deeper and see that, in the case of the telephone, that was one thing that impacted one element of folk’s lives.  These days, pervasive technology-driven change has reached almost every aspect of life, and the impact is in fact cumulative.  Think about it: If you are not comfortable using a smartphone, then are you going to have trouble with the whole concept of an App?  What if the only way you can clock into work is using an App?  What if that’s how you are supposed to pay for your car insurance?

I grieve for the many who are falling into what seems this technology spiral.  What are they going to do?

I don't have any (good) answers to that last question.  That's the thing about big change I suppose, namely that it seems like some folks are always left behind as a consequence.  At best I think we can collectively offer some measure of compassion to our fellow humans.  We can also implore, as I often do at work, businesses to make sure that they are meeting their customers where they (the customers) are...not just where they think they should be.  

 ******

(*) I once tried to read The Great Gatsby, but after a few pages (which likely totaled about 3 sentences), I just gave up.  Writing style aside for a moment, a book about shallow rich people and their problems isn’t all that appealing to me.  If I liked that sort of thing, I would watch “The Real Housewives of _________” instead.  If you insist on reading it for yourself though, I highly recommend the Family Guy 10-minute version.