Technobabble

[darkemeralds]

I'm listening to What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly, an examination of the relationship among technology, human culture, and evolution. The chapter I was listening to last night on the ride home was about Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, and his anti-technology manifesto.

Tonight it was the Amish (among whom the author has spent a lot of time).

It's compelling stuff, very persuasive, so there are some parts where I'm going, "Oh no! Please don't tell me I have to turn off the internet!" and some parts where I'm going, "Yay! I don't have to give up my phone! Even the Amish use cellular phones!"

And all the while, I'm listening to this audiobook on my new cellphone, which is so amazing and shiny and dopamine-inducing that I'm like a character on that dumb episode of ST:TNG called "The Game" where the discs went into the tubes and you got a rush off it.

It is a really cool device. I'm going to go read some Sherlock Holmes off it now.

Comments

[tehomet]

Amish people use cell phones! Crumpets! Will wonders never cease?

[darkemeralds]

I was surprised myself. Apparently in some parishes under some circumstances, they allow the use of them. Seems the main goal is for their homes & businesses to be off the grid, meaning mostly the electrical grid.

The segment on the Amish was really interesting and did a lot to dispel my own urban myth thinking about them.