Lack of Technology = Unnecessary Drama

I had a moment today on the train when my iPod played several 80's songs in a row.  "Lost In Your Eyes", "Take On Me", "Eternal Flame".  I remarked on Twitter that it was as if my iPod had gone back in time, but wouldn't that be weird - an iPod in the 80's.

I then remembered watching "The Great Outdoors" last week with Rob, and how he made a comment about how much easier things would have gone for the son in the movie if there had been cell phones in use back then - he could have texted his girlfriend and let her know he was running late, instead of her thinking he'd stood her up.  But no.  Lack of technology = unnecessary drama.

It's weird, thinking back to a time when there weren't cell phones and iPods.  It wasn't all that long ago.  To talk to your friends, you had to pick up the house phone and then get yelled at for tying up the line.  If I had a nickel for every time my Dad made the "wrap it up" signal (consisting of making an exaggerated circular motion with his hand while wearing an exasperated expression on his face, regardless of how long you'd been on the phone)...well, I'd be knee-deep in nickels, that's what.  And there's the time my brother was getting on my case and being obnoxious because he wanted to get on the phone, to the point where I snapped and whacked him on the arm with the receiver (of course he cried about it like I'd broken his arm).  Again, drama which could have been avoided had we all had cells.

Think about the crap that could have been avoided in films if only there were cell phones.  "An Affair to Remember" may have ended a lot less tearfully if only Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr had been able to send a quick text or voicemail (but then Kleenex sales would suffer).

And historically? Forget it.  Think of the rest poor Paul Revere's horse (and backside, let's be honest) would have gotten if he could have sent a mass text, tweet or status update on Facebook about the British coming. 

Which sorta reminds me of something my brother and I laughed about one night over the summer.  We were at the library and there was a portrait on the wall of Abraham Lincoln wearing a leather jacket.  We got on the topic of Lincoln's Facebook updates if Facebook existed back then.  "Can't wait for 'Our American Cousin' tonight @ Ford Theater - see you there!" - and then, underneath,  "J.W. Booth Likes This".

And don't even get me started on visiting the library and making 5 cent copies of encyclopedia articles for school reports.  Oh my God.  Kids have it so easy.  I hate them.

In closing, although I believe that technology will in fact someday be the cause of our demise (see: Skynet, which is becoming more and more likely with each passing decade...I wonder if James Cameron had any idea how close to the mark he'd come), I also believe that it clears up all the stupid misunderstandings and frustration which used to litter our lives before it.  So now we have all this extra time. 

To spend on Twitter.