The Impact of Technology Over the Last Decade

During the past ten years technology has expanded so much and so quickly that it is at times difficult to grasp the impact. The depth and breath of the impact shapes how most of us live our lives each day in ways that we only recognize on the surface. It is only through deliberate, conscious reflection that we can take stock of how the technological advances of the last decade have shaped how we function in the world today. This biggest change for me is the nearly instant, around the clock, communication we can have with friends, family, coworkers, and strangers regardless of the distance that separates us.

As I partied ten years ago to Prince's "1999" on the brink of the millennium; I gave no thought to owning a cell phone. I was footloose and fancy free and thought that a cell phone would hamper my freedom and thirst for adventure. I would jump in my car for a trip across country or across states with little concern for communicating my whereabouts on a regular basis. My motto was " As long as I have gas, I'm okay." Stopping at a road side gas station to make a quick phone call to reassure my mom that no strange hitch hiker had grab me was a duty that I managed only because I knew there would be trouble to pay later if I did not call in occasionally. I could not send a quick text message to friends to let them know that my arrival might be delayed because I stopped at truck stop and spent too much time flirting with a cute trucker over coffee. There were no internet cafes or coffee shops with wi-fi along the way to send a quick message either. I could go hours without communicating to another person except during rest breaks. That was fine by me.

I was not alone. There were others like me who were disdainful of the thought of having a cell phone. Some of those folks no longer have landline services in their homes. Their cell phones are permanent appendages. I too succumbed over the past decade to the technology that allows me to be in constant contact with others. My personal communication device is almost always with me. It is usually clipped to me or in a pocket. I have even been known to tuck it into my bra. The few times I have left home without it or misplaced it have left me feeling a bit anxious. I might have to go through detox if were taken away permanently.

My how things have changed. Now, I am glad that I can call and share my estimated time of arrival. I was ecstatic to have a phone the evening that I had the dreaded car problem on the expressway. The wonder of taking a picture of my daughter and quickly sending it to friends hundreds of miles a way is a fantastic gift that I have wholly accepted from the advances in technology provided by the last ten years.