Like most people, I’m seriously disappointed in the lack of hovercraft technology in the 21st century. This new world we’re living in seems to be an amalgam of sci-fi, dystopia and The Jetsons. Some of it beneficial; some of it not-so-much; but really, technology is neither good nor bad, it just is…it is how we use it that ultimately provides us with a judgment of its status.
Flying cars seemed to be the one thing that almost every futuristic book/movie/TV show promised. We got the shaft on that one. Instead we got TV. All the time. Everywhere. Any place where people have to stand in line, wait in chairs, be in a moving vehicle, or exercise in a containment area, it seems there has to be a TV. I feel like I’m stuck in an Orwellian nightmare. It drives me batty. And now on phones and watches – TV. I used to really enjoy a day off of work for jury duty and didn’t mind a long wait at the DMV – it gave me a perfect excuse for reading uninterrupted for long periods of time or just sitting and people watching. But now, I have to find a quiet space that is not dominated by a gigantic TV set (don’t even get me started with what’s actually on the TV) or populated with people talking LOUDLY into cellphones or a Bluetooth or watching something on their phones with a loud volume. Why must we be entertained with TV ALL THE TIME? Why can we not just simply sit and think? I know reading is also entertainment – but it’s self-contained. I’m not reading aloud to everyone else and forcing them to be exposed to what I am interested in…so why should I have to be forced to watch Fox News, CNN or whatever other crap is out there? WHY?????
I haven’t been inside a gym in years – recently at a hotel, I decided to use their gym facility instead of taking a gander outside because it was so early and NOW not only do they have the general TVs up on the walls but the equipment itself ALSO sports a TV. Everywhere I turn – a f*cking TV. What is the point of having a TV everywhere? Are we fearful of being within our own minds? Are we afraid of what might happen if we are not constantly stimulated with visual input? I’m not saying TV doesn’t have its place in our culture – what I’m saying is why does it have to be so invasive in my life OUTSIDE OF MY HOME? That is my objection. I cannot get away from it. I think of it as second-hand Television. It’s probably just as dangerous as second-hand smoke it just manifests its damage in a different part of my being.
I will fully admit I feel pretty much the same way about cell phones as I do about TV. I could rant for hours about them – but I won’t because most everything has been said. And people still are glued to their phones all the time. My only wish is that they didn’t work in cars – they are deadly accidents waiting to happen. I have lived for this long without needing a phone constantly by my side; I hope I can continue to survive (or have I now jinxed myself?). I do like them for emergency situations – that I won’t deny. But I don’t need to have TV, email and/or Facebook access when I’m driving a car. Ever.
Of course there’s a Bowie song for my rant…
Technology addiction is reaching the level of insanity.
Well and I keep on exploring ways to not even rely on my car!! 🙂
RIGHT? I love bike commuting, myself – and you don’t need a phone or internet access at all during your ride!
I’m waiting for the pendulum swing of technology to start going towards the middle – as I’m pretty sure that cell phones are here to stay (boo)…so the best we can hope for is that they become less invasive as time moves forward.
TVs vs phones, I dislike phones more. But then, phones are like TVs now so there’s that.
RIGHT – private phones and TV are ok – in public – MAKES ME CRAZY!
I do really like TV, but as a choice – when I choose to watch it, and what I choose to watch, in fact most of my “TV” watching is probably on Netflix where I’m choosing to watch a run of a series or something. I don’t think we have as much TV everywhere here in UK as you do, but we’re getting there! I’m not much one for talking on the phone anyway, but certainly not loudly in public places!
Let’s hope the UK stays relatively TV free in public spaces… and I do most of my TV watching on NetFlix as well ~ for the same reasons you state!
I watch about 3 hours of tv a week. Otherwise, I would have it off if I could, but someone here loves to have it going for 24/7! Ugh. As for phones I always thought it was rude to talk on the phone in front of someone too, plus I’m a very private person, I don’t want someone listening in on my conversations even if they are dull. Cell phones are evil. They are! They take over your soul and suck the life out of you. I have an old cell phone, nothing smart about it, but only carry it in winter when I drive in case something happens. I don’t relish freezing to death. So I love your rant! I was nodding my head yes through out reading it. 🙂
I almost never have the TV on if it’s just me – but my family LOVES TV…I’m the odd-man-out on that one!
Ha! Love your take on cell phones…and my cell phone is also not ‘smart’ – it is just a phone…I don’t even text! Thank you for understanding my rant 🙂
Wait. How is it possible for you to be so active on social media without a smartphone? Can’t compute.
Also–I LOVE this post and completely agree!!! Secondhand TV is a brilliant term. Was it Brave New World where the people lived in houses with wall-sized movie screens surrounding them?
I am computer connected all the way via laptop and tower PC. I’m just old school.
Aw thanks – Well shoot, I just read Brave New World a couple years ago and I cannot remember- but probably, most Dystopian novels seems to have that theme or ever-present TV’s all over the place.
Yeah. I get them so confused. Weird that 1984 was 30 years ago, considering that was a portrayal of the dystopian ‘future’ and here we are!
Right – but no bloody flying cars…
Or robots that clean my house.
They have the Rumba and in Japan there’s human-like robots… so we’re getting closer, but yes, I’d like Rosie in my house.
I hate people. They generally irritate me. If I don’t have my face buried in my phone I may have to make eye contact, talk to someone, or worse still put up with someone in my personal space.
Is that your rainbow heart speaking? 🙂 See, I generally love people – looking at them, laughing at and with them… etc…
Yes, well I am an introvert. I do not require interaction. I am also shut down somewhat of late. I think that’s making me worse perhaps? If you ask me in a few weeks time you may well get a different answer
Is starting school freaking you out?
Oh you have no idea. I am absolutely terrified
You’ll be fabulous – give yourself a pat on the back and just do it!
I will just try not to hyperventilate in the hallway
In that case – bring a paper bag and a note around your neck that says “If hyperventilating, please administer the bag”
Hahaha I will make so many friends
Oh yes! I wonder if we were in a class together if we would naturally migrate towards each other b/c we do seem to get on splendidly.
I actually think that we would
I AM SO WITH YOU ON THIS. I cannot bear joining the ranks of commuters who stand silently on trains peering into their phones, so I ALWAYS make a point of looking out of the window LIKE WE USED TO.
However, I am actually genuinely disappointed at the 21st century’s lack of attention to hovercraft technology, because we were PROMISED hovercrafts by TV years ago.
Thank you for being in accordance with my generalization (and you’re the only one to mention hovercrafts!)… I didn’t think The Jetson’s would lie to me.
I’d love to sit next to you on commuterville transport and listen to your funny.
I was in the dentist’s chair having root canal. He had a TV overhead so I could watch BBC News. The report I remember most vividly was about dysentery in Africa. Not my happiest moments.
YIKES! Why would you want to watch the NEWS during a root canal???????? Bad heaped upon worse!
Strange – but you are spot,on about wall to wall rolling news everywhere. Even though nothing really appeas to be happening
Honestly, I think it just amps people up and makes them anxious. Also thinking that we always need to have our phones on in case of an emergency – it makes us all a little more uptight with ill expectations.
And to film stuff to throw into the web – everyone needs to chill and not worry about self declared important people hoping in and out of choppers or planes or limos on their way to meet other self declared important people just because it fills a rolling news schedule.
I hope if something awful happens to me; someone will help me instead of videotape it.
Sadly do not bet on it!
Right?
I don’t like it when hotel gyms have TVs in them. I like to listen to my own music, but the volume on the TV is so loud, it makes things difficult. When I look around, it doesn’t even seem that many people are watching it. Everyone has their own headset in. If I’m in there by myself, I always turn it off. Doesn’t seem to bother anyone who comes after me.
People can bring their own self-contained entertainment to the gym (I bring music with headphones 🙂 ) Good for you for turning the TV off!
TV- the great conversation killer. I probably watch more than I should, but like Rutabaga the seeming necessity of having the blasted things *everywhere, all the time* makes me crazy. One of the reasons I will never willingly fly through DFW again is the incredible noise level- a combination of multiple tvs and the PA system blasting mostly horrible music. Talk about sensory overload! Any restaurant with tvs festooned all over the place is right out. Etc etc etc, rant, rave…
RIGHT ON SEAVEY!
The whole cell phone thing is really just about fueling the individual’s self-importance. It’s pretty gross, when one steps back and thinks about it. But that doesn’t happen because the television is always on.
Yes, I think you’re on to something; about being important and begin noticed. I still find it somewhat embarrassing (for myself) to talk in public on a cell phone. I still excuse myself to stand in corner if I have to use a phone. But I am not a phone person – I still have a phone connected to my wall connected with a cord. No call waiting, no caller ID (well, my message machine is manual caller ID in that the caller has to self identify after the beep) … I don’t even want to answer my phone 🙂
Yes. I never use my phone in front of people. It’s rude. My husband is the same. We excuse ourselves. Plus, the whole cell phone thing is just a tool to navigate through the waters of social media where self-importance is the driving force behind it all. I’m not a phone person either. I’m an awkward phone talker because I like those natural silences that happen in face to face conversations.
Yup…Skype scares the bejeebus out me too (I can see it being great for people separated thru circumstances beyond their control) – but even more awkward than talking on the phone is talking on the phone and being looked at… AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH…
Oooooh David Bowie! I have to play that when there’s a chance. There’s another song “Telephone” – Lady Gaga and Beyonce, but it’s really good. I HATE the TVs everywhere too! Doctor’s offices, gyms, restaurants (I about smacked my husband because he kept looking at the TV instead of me). And it is always, always tuned to FOX NEWS. Why, why, why??? Especially in the doctor’s office. How is any news good when you’re already sick? Arghhhh.
Yes – why in the doc’s office???? And why FOX???
They hate us. They really hate us. Like I need to hear blond bimbos screaming “Obama did it!” over and over.
Right?
I love the title of this post, btw. Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes . . .
Aw thanks! It came to me when I was about to go to sleep last night.
I agree, Denise. Silence and just general quiet is hard to come by these days. In fact, in public places, I think it’s impossible. There always seems to be this need to take in information, even if it’s garbage. I’m with you, it’s hard to read a book anywhere. I’m guilty of taking my phone everywhere for just in case, and when I have it, I look at it. Once in a while, I leave without it, and I survive fine!
I think we feel that we are ever on the brink of some disaster that needs attention. It makes me anxious when I feel I NEED my phone on – like I’m waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.
Silence is nice – and as an extrovert I’m saying that…
Good point about always needing to take in information even if it’s garbage.
I don’t know if it’s guilty – as opposed to feeling like it’s necessary. Now I’m worried I sound really judgmental of cell phones – whereas I’m more frustrated with this need to constantly be infotained.
Infotained! Perfect. This should be a new word and its definition: Constantly being fed meaningless garbage. I don’t you sound judgmental at all. It’s become a fact of life, almost that we don’t even notice it anymore.
RESIST! RESIST! A good dose of 1984 should help 🙂
Ha ha! Not having cable TV at home has helped a lot. I don’t miss it. I just watch Netflix so at least I don’t have to watch commercials.
We don’t have cable either – but I did give my husband Netflix for Xmas last year – which I like and hate simultaneously. Like I said, I don’t have a problem with people choosing to watch TV but I don’t like it being forced upon me in public.
So true about TV. I have no problem with reading material, in a paper magazine or on a tablet. I love to read interesting stuff. But in a gym? That drives me crazy to see TVs on the machines when I travel. And the endless talking heads on CNN or whatever news source is on. Or HG TV (My mother ALWAYS has this one in her house) The other thing that’s weird to me is that people just have TV on in their house all the time when they aren’t watching it. Ours comes on at about 9pm or 10pm, to watch a certain show or 2, then goes off. Nowadays we have to really learn the art of “tuning out” in public, and that’s a shame. Thanks for your interesting post!
I do love reading -I’m probably biased about it 🙂
I remember seeing my husband with the TV on, no volume – music playing and he was reading a book. He must be a mastermind at segmenting all that out – I put in earplugs so I can read if the TV is on and someone is watching.
TV in a gym is weird weird weird to me –
I’m guilty of being connected to a device a lot of the time and I totally get what you’re saying. We’re a society that can’t sit in silence or have a real conversation anymore. I went to a doctor’s office recently that was lost in a time warp – not only was there not a TV in the waiting room, the magazines were several years old and the receptionist had a typewriter. It reminded me that we had lives before cell phones and gadgets. I could do without the wood paneling on the walls but the doctor was awesome despite having to write a prescription on a real piece of paper. I bet he can even write in cursive. Now I’m just sounding old. 🙂
what’s a typewriter? 🙂
I’m pretty sure I’ve morphed over into ‘old’ –
I get rather excited when I’m in a waiting room without a TV and I admit I tend to carry a book with me, because, ya know, I’m a nerd…
If I catch you reading a book while riding your tandem bike by yourself, you’ll definitely be a nerd. 😉
Hee hee – I would totally accept that judgement.
Sorry, I was reading this and got distracted by something on TV. But I assume it was great.
No worries – you can read it in the car, on your phone.
Between all of my thoughts and just generally not wanting to be social, I lose myself in my phone all the time. Not everyone takes the hint but it helps enough.
Now, I do know not to do that for jury duty or what have you, but DMV? That is what Twitter and Candy Crush were invented for.
I am just a hardcore (old) luddite for some technology. I also find that having headphones and music to a great barrier btwn me and people wanting to talk to me 🙂
I just don’t want TV in my life all the time – that’s really what kills me.
I feel this way about TV a lot too. It is everywhere you go, and I get annoyed even in my own house. We have one in almost every room with the exception of my office. The internet and cell phones are constant too. Books are my happy place for entertainment. Overstimulation everywhere!!!!
YES! Someone asked me of I wanted a TV for my son’s room when he was an INFANT…. AHHHHHH
I’m with you on wondering about the ubiquity of technology. I remember when I first had to carry a pager for work. And how many times I had to replace it out of carelessness because it was almost too fragile.
I believe kids today refer to people of our generation who feel the way you do as “old”…
I’m pretty sure you’re right – I remember a guy telling me how much he loved how seamless his work and home life were integrated…and I got a ball of lead in my belly at the thought..
I still work hard to keep my personal and professional lives separate. I shudder every time I open personal and work gmail in the same browser, since google wants to take all of mine as its.
RIGHT? Now I do love starting work at home at 5:30AM – and that’s a great benefit to me – VPN…but I control that melding – it does not control me.
And it’s even harder if your job has an IT aspect to it –
Well, as an IT guy, I at least have a better working knowledge of the tools to keep the gaping maw of technology at bay…
The irony of this is that I absolutely love IT – just not television and cell phones 🙂 – I didn’t promise I was logical or consistent…
Sometimes, yes, I’m afraid to be stuck in my mind with my thoughts.
Don’t be!
Too late.
🙂