Previously upon reading the article linked to below, I was pondering-- "are we perhaps becoming too connected?" Does the possibility of being able to "connect" while in your car appeal to you? Or has the sublime reached the point of ridiculousness?
Isn't there anywhere whence we can escape this madness? I like being connected as much as the next bloke or sheila-- but sometimes I like to get away from it all.
I'm truly looking forward to my trip up to the Adirondacks this summer-- to a campground surrounded by mountains with such a high iron content that it's near impossible to get a cell phone signal... A place where truly you CAN escape the pull of technology, that is if you really want to (and you don't have to try THAT hard to do so) and really want, where "logging on" truly DOES mean tossing another log on the campfire, and the only real access to the outside world is a phone booth near the main gate where you enter and exit the campground. It's a place where the soundtrack is provided by the assorted wildlife who inhabit that particular stretch of wilderness not by an iPod, Zune, or any other digital music devices... And the lights aren't those of a city or metropolitan area-- they're the lights of the night sky. The full moon can act as a spotlight for midnight canoeing and there are more stars visible than you could ever imagine seeing in the city or the 'burbs.
Aren't there times or places where you'd really prefer not to be so easily reached? Or has our technological proclivicty reached such a fever pitch that much like an infant with a pacifier, we "need" to be connected as much as possible? Is this constant "need" for connection a help or a hindrance? A panacea or a problem?
At any rate here's the article: Wi-Fi Is Hitting the Road in Cars From Avis, but Technical and Legal Bumps Lie Ahead
Discuss amongst yourselves...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
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9 comments:
Sadly, the Adirondacks you are talking about is slowly disappearing as more and more cell towers are built and suburban sprawl and large developments spread to block out the night sky. There are some interesting light pollution maps on the net that really show where the problems areas are and where they are likely to be in the future. I live at the boundary of cell service (for now), but it keeps getting more available year after year.
I'm not worried about being "too connected." I just think that more people need to express their boundaries. If I don't want to answer my phone, i don't. Quite simple.
I actually love being connected nearly everywhere I am. I guess maybe being from that younger generation leads me to have this feeling but while I do love nature and being secluded at times I don't ever feel like I have an obligation to pick up my cell phone or whatever, I'll just turn it off.
Hi there! Thanks for visiting my site.......hockey is in the Canadian blood, yessirreee.
It seems like I have developed an obsession in the past year......blogging. I love the connectivity of it, but I also know that it has dug into other parts of my life.......!
I do find that with my writing pursuits, I have found the serenity of "disconnecting" with the rest of the world, especially when I find that flow.......you know when time just slips by and you have no idea that the sun has even gone down.
I love to get away as well.....and always look forward to my week on the shores of Prince Edward Island, away from media and away from the phone. The cell doesn't get turned on.
Great writing here! I'll be back.
Cell phones have certainly changed the world, at least in the "sorry you missed me department". Sure some people still try to use that excuse, but it's all in vain. Being mobile means no excuses.:)
Adirondack Editor: That's a real shame... Watching my sister trying to get a cell phone signal while standing on a picnic table on 1 foot with her head cocked at a weird angle was truly a sight to be seen. I was kind of hoping that attempting to get a cell phone signal up there would continue to be more trouble than it's worth.
Dickebird: Right you are. It's just sad to see people forgetting their cell phones have "off" buttons. It's also rather sad to see teenagers straggling behind their parents in shopping malls and supermarkets wearing headphones more plugged in and connected to their iPods than to their own families. I just know I'm going to be one of those senior citizens who says things like, "When I was your age we had these things called cassette tapes..." or "When I was your age I had to walk all the way across the room to change the TV station... barefoot, through 6 feet of snow, uphill both ways, against the Earth's rotation..."
Jeff: It's nice to see that you're one who knows how to set boundaries. Being connected is fine in moderation-- but like with everything else, there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing." And unfortunately, our society as a whole seems to live by the laws of excess not moderation and that philosophy has infilitrated all aspects of our lives.
awareness: When I noticed you're a regular on both Barbara's and Urban Monk's blogs I thought I'd check yours out. When I went to your blog and saw that you're Canadian I was totally sold as I'm a total Canuckophile!
janet: I drive my wife nuts because I leave my cell phone off, probably far more often than I should. Oh and ever since I upgraded to a camera phone you should see all the cool pictures I've taken of the inside of my pocket... "Show me mean! Show me despondent... you're a tiger, GRRR" Man the inside of my pocket makes a great model! I think I'm up to over 30 pictures of it!
Being connected is not only a convenience, but can save your life.
On the flip side, when I'm not working, my cell phone is off.
I agree and there are many places that I do not want to "be reached" or "connected" or "plugged in". I do that at home a lot...no land line (for at least 5 years now) and I either turn my cell off or put it on silent (one of my favorite things to do).
I hope you enjoy your trip, it sounds like it will be awesome.
Oh c'mon! We had remotes! They just had cables running to the tv...
:P
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