The Trouble With Modern Life
By Sally Bishai (05/05/06)
As my loyal readers can tell you, I have mixed feelings about the new technologies that have blessed/plagued us. These new technologies have also been the culprits in many irksome habits that I’ve noticed in months past.
Like, sometimes I notice a person who looks like someone I would rather die than talk to—they look mean (meaner than me, that is), they look as though they’re trying to draw attention (I’m serious, you know what I’m talking about here), or they look silly (now do I really have to explain this one? I thought we were past this stage... sigh...), and then they add torture to injury by recounting every detail of last night’s date—by cellular phone—to someone that they’re invariably going to see in about 10 minutes.
How do I know? Because they usually end with, "Ok, more details over dinner. See you in 10 minutes."
At any rate, "Modern Life" (generally speaking) is becoming more and more infuriating.
Let’s go over the most annoying things that I, professional student of humans and their communication/psychology/culture, have noticed.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I haven’t mentioned a number in the title. There’s a reason for that (you’ll soon figure it out).
On to the annoyances, they include the proliferation of ...
The accessibility of heretofore exclusive gadgets and garb : Chanel lipstick, Louis Vuitton bags, beepers, cell phones and laptops. I’ll tell you what I mean--10 years ago--maybe a bit longer--only society ladies carried Chanel, ONLY businessmen had mobile phones (actually “car phones”) and laptops, and only drug dealers or doctors had beepers. People actually dressed up to go to the Olive Garden, and Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. And now? Shorts, flip flops and scrunchies dominate the once (at least semi-) dress-up atmosphere. Everyone and his or her cousin, brother, and sister own at least one cell phone, and perhaps a pager and laptop. Nothing wrong with that, I just happen to miss the days when I could deduce class by someone’s accessories or electronics. (How politically correct, eh?)
Cell phones . Sure, these gadgets make it mega-easy to stay in touch with friends and family that aren’t in your immediate vicinity (in the same room), but they can keep you from others who are closer to you. I used to know a girl who missed her family horribly, and ended up moving back home after college. But she felt even lonelier when her family started using their free AT&T minutes on her brother, who was in another town. Why? Because, she says, they said, "Oh, since we have her, let’s focus on the one that’s not here." I’m sure you don’t need to be told that she moved away, posthaste.
Saying "I’ll let you go ." Maybe this is due to the increased number of telephone convos (due to the proliferation of cell phones), but it doesn’t matter. Saying this line (ad nauseum) makes it seem as though you’re holding someone prisoner! (Some conversations do feel that way, actually.)
*Blogs and ‘rant’ pages . What’s so annoying about these, you might ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Imagine this--these alleged "sites" are basically online diaries.. unfocused venting with no actual point or call to action. They’re literally pages for people to whine (in very bad writing, I might add) about everything under the sun. But Sally, you might be asking, isn’t that what THIS VERY ARTICLE is? Thanks for the question, darling, and may I assure you that this article is *not* a rant. If it were, I wouldn’t have the opinions of other people present, which I do, and I would be focusing on my opinion, which is the reverse of the last thing I said (whatever that means). Hmph!
Those rollie bags with the wheels --remember when they used to signal a pilot or chauffeur or whatever? Not anymore. Nowadays, it seems as though the public feels entitled to using them. College students. Nurses. I don’t know if it’s a trend or a convenience, but it’s maddening in any case.
Annoying cell phone rings . These are really the worst. Even if the song sounds halfway decent, which is usually doesn’t, hearing the William Tell Overture rather than a normal "beep, beep!" is just mega-disconcerting. If you’re an aging twentysomething curmudgeon from the 80s, anyway.
Mobile phones at every turn . I can’t stay away from mobiles today, for some reason. At any rate, seeing people walking at acute angles isn’t the worst of it, it’s having to deal with a chatter’s every detail (people telling stuff that onlookers REALLY couldn’t care less about) in a language that you understand. If I didn’t understand it, I wouldn’t be so cross, since I’d at least be giving said people some privacy. I guess I object to being put in the position to *have* to eavesdrop, even though I haven’t a choice in the matter. (Do any other bilinguals feel this way?)
Lack of manners . Maybe it’s because people expect more these days (as a result of new technologies at every turn), but the net effect is the same—people treating a machine better than they treat me. (Come on, nice computer! Give me back my CD. Please? Pretty please? With shredded floppy disks on top?)
Dumbed down language . “That works,” “I’m good,” and the ubiquitous “You did good!” What is UP with that, y’all? Have people never heard of saying “Oh, that will be just fine!” or “I’m fine, thanks, you?” or even “Wow, did you do well or what? 12 cans of SPAM for only a dollar! How enterprising of you!”
Credit card skimming/identity theft on the rise . Even if you disagree with the last few, you MUST admit the inconvenience of wondering whether some 13-year-old freshman in Tulsa has obtained your digits by ill-begotten means and is spending *your* hard-earned money, or at least credit, on a new X-Box. (His mother might notice the new ware, and comment. I wonder which she’d say: “My, how enterprising you are!” or “You did good, son!” Sigh.)
If technology’s down, time stops . Even at AT&T or the bank, even if it’s a mega-company with 4 zillion employees, there’s still a chance that “we can’t access your accounts.” Now, that’s not to sound ungrateful—natural disasters can and do happen (as Floridians and New Orleans-folk know) but that doesn’t give people a chance to slack off and forget about “the old-fashioned way,” which nary would have been affected had a storm—or a computer virus—come calling.
Cards/letters/stationary are a thing of the past . Horrible! Maybe I feel this one acutely because I have this thing about writing (in any form), but also for correspondence (I have this huge and insanely pricey collection of fountain pens, ink and stationary/cards, but I’m almost afraid to spend time writing something and then seeing it in the rubbish heap one day!). Seriously, is it SO too hard to pen something for once? (Meaning actually picking up a pen.)
Reality shows : allegedly modern, but actually a throwback to the Games (the Roman ones). Actually, I find reality shows—of any bent—sickening. This is nothing to do with my disdain for the programming on television these days, and how it corrupts people morally, makes bad things seem good, and good things seem bad (only in America can a person be praised for losing their virginity, and dissed for holding on to it!). The transmission of disrespect and a lack of sensitivity for people is another disgusting thing about TV these days, but that’s not even what I’m talking about. REALITY SHOWS...! You know what I’m talking about; the games that see who can do the most disgusting things the quickest, or the gamey shows that see who can beat whom at what, the voyeuristic shows that let you see who’s going to pull what stunt next, and the other ones that are sort of the same in terms of competition, only more staged (like those silly ones who fix a dame up and see who’s prettiest, or get 100 chicks together with one guy and see whom he chooses at the end)... Akh. Am I the only one revolted by this? I mean, this is a totally separate article, I know, but I had to include this here, too. Are people really so lacking in fun and social lives that they actually watch this tripe (hah) on TV? At any rate, it’s one of the biggest troubles with modern life, in my opinion.
The lack of respect in young people today: I know, I’m not even 30 yet, and I’m a curmudgeon. But it’s true, kids these days aren’t respectful, of their parents, or of people in general. People also seem to have no respect for tradition or older people. The old ways—and older people—seem to be seen as a joke and/or liability, rather than a treasure. Hello!? Where do you think this generation came from BUT from the previous generations—and their traditions!
Internet dating/friendships : In a way, it’s cool that people can connect in this way, but the Internet also makes it that much easier to fall for someone, that much easier to fall for what they present, possibly getting locked into a long-distance relationship that isn’t even meant to be (he can be con artist, she might have someone else, etc.). Let’s hope they don’t come out with a reality show about falling in love online; I don’t think I could take it!
Speaking of “I can’t take it!”, that’s probably what you’re thinking right now, after having heard my enterprising rants (hah), so I’ll throw in what’s cool about modern life:
It’s really become a Global Village (business wise and social-wise). We meet people (and make business connections) that we never could have before. How cool is that? (On the other hand, we’re This Close to a ‘one-world government.’
Keeping in touch is made easier (going back to the global village bit).
So much more is possible! Self-publishing, e-magazines, online classes, camera phones, web-cam-chats.. look how much all of those things have helped us out! A bumped flight isn’t even a huge problem anymore: they hook you up with a new flight, food, even a razor and toothbrush by pressing a few keys (unless their computers are down).
So. While there are lots of bad things about modern life, there are also lots of good things. (Another article, don’t worry. Class is almost dismissed.)
*So*. To the people who invented the Internet and digital cameras and ordering pizza online, let me just say “You did good!”
* Re: My dissing of “Blogs” and “ranting pages.”
I first wrote this back in the days when blogs were ONLY used for ranting and online diary purposes. Since then, many great writers and thinkers have picked up the trade, and news and opinions are transmitted almost virally through the blogosphere. One caveat to this great technology: make sure to NOT just up and believe anything that you read on a blog or three!
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