Saturday, September 19, 2009

Technology - Schmechnology

The kids are in Utopia this weekend. I'm sitting at the house alone. Bored. Flipping through the boob tube.


Up comes a commercial for a Sony Reader


Now, I'm sure there's a slew of people out there that are ecstatic about this little gadget. I mean - we have come a long way, baby. Really. It's amazing what technology has done to our culture. Both positive and negative.

The negative is what concerns me.


A whole generation of kids already think of books as archaic nostalgia from eras past, thanks to television, movies, video games, and other handheld devices. The cute, shiny, blinky, beepy things grab ones attention with a stealthy, unyielding grip. 



What are we gonna do when one day a child doesn't even recognize what a real book is? I know. Maybe a little extreme. But is it? Really? My nine year old only last year learned what a cassette tape was. (I grew up on cassettes. sheesh!) We had to struggle to find a radio in the house that even had a tape player in it, but after much digging we were successful. It was back in the deep, dark recesses of our storage closet. 


What I don't want to see unfold in our society's future is books being relegated to our storage closets, bins and boxes - hidden away. Only to be pulled out for history lessons on bygone "fads" of culture, or when we're feeling sentimental and want tangible reminders of our past.



It could happen. Maybe.



I would think if you're a traveling person, always on the go, a snazzy reader may come in handy. Hopping from plane to train to automobile with a stack of books under your arm isn't very conducive to smooth globe trotting.


But is it really that hard to make room for a real book in your carry on? Purse? Briefcase? 



Just one...please?



Admittedly, I myself have succumbed to the techno age temptation of reading on a device. However, I found it to be extremely annoying.


Earlier in the summer I acquired an iPhone. I didn't want it, but nonetheless found myself a proud owner of one and before I knew it.... I was hooked on apps. I came across a free download for the book "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and immediately clicked. Since the only time I go to the movies is to treat the kids to something cartoony or 3D, I thought I'd at least be able to read the story and have an idea of what the movie must have been like.


Three-quarters of the way through the first chapter my head started throbbing. I put the phone down and went to the kitchen to do the dishes. Within the hour my head had cleared and I decided to try reading on the iPhone again when I headed to bed. Again - headache. I tried yet again the next day and - yep. You guessed it. My head was killing me. 


Eventually it dawned on me that it must be from reading on such a tiny scale. Sure, I had the option to enlarge the words, but then only six words fit on the screen and I was scrolling so much my thumb hurt. Wah-wah.


Of course, I do need glasses, have for years, but that couldn't really be the problem. I read lots of other things all day long and don't get headachey. 


I picked up a book and before I knew it had read two chapters. Nope. Not a single throb in the 'ole noggin. No bifocals for me. Yet. Whew!


While I was performing my very scientific reading/head pain test, I noticed something. Reading an actual book is fine. It's great, in fact. I'd read more of that bonafide book in less than an hour than I had in 3 attempts at reading one on my phone.


So, the moral of the story is this:


Read a REAL book! I promise, you will not die from this. No one will make fun of you. You can read more words more quickly than on that tiny screen you hold in your hand. Your eyes will be relieved they no longer have to strain at those teensy little words. Your head will quit throbbing. And your thumbs and fingers will not lose their texting/scrolling/typing skills while not in use. They actually need a rest and this is a really good way to give it to them. All they'll have to do is occasionally turn pages. That's it. Your digits and eyes will rejoice! 



I'm off to don my pj's, jump in the bed and read a book. While wearing my magnifying granny spectacles I bought at the drugstore yesterday. You know - the ones you wear way down on your nose. 

Yeah, so maybe those headaches weren't 
entirely the device's fault.
Nighty-nite!

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