Another thread asking if technology has made us lazy made me wonder. The biggest effect that is negative for me with regards to technology is that I have found myself becoming more impatient.
I expect instant responses, results, and everything done with a click of a button. When I cannot get a line on my mobile phone due to congestion of lines I can get angry.... (not too long ago, I had to find a phone booth and get coins). When I first started working, the average printer speed was like 2 pages in four minutes (or was it 8 minutes) with dot matrix printers, then laser printers came with 8 sheets a minute... WOW! now it flies off the printer! I won't wait anymore for 8 pages in 2 minutes, and definitely the dot matrix printer would be in pieces if I had to depend on it..
I have become so accustomed to having these technological 'benefits' that when it is not working (especially when you need it urgently) it can result in an almost 'immature' rage. Heck I survived before that was made available. But once used to it, I cannot do without .... and it must be at peak performance always.
I think that the technology has changed our all life to believe that everything goes fast. If not, we become impatient. I remember when I met my the first husband. It was time before the internet. Calling by phone (no mobile phones of course) was very expencive. I was able to call maybe once a month. No text messages, no email. We wrote letters. When I was posted my letter, I had to wait 2 to 4 weeks to get answer.
I think you have know that I was a motorcycle racer. And you must be know too that motorcycle is product of technology.
Okay, what makes a racer can get good result in race?. His skill and his ability to understand his motorcycle. As a product of technology, motorcycle has limit of performance. A racer should not force his motorcycle to work beyond its limit performance, but must use this limit of performance in optimum way.
In turning, a racer should not turn in the way that could not be tolerated by his motorcycle performance because it could cause accident. In running the motorcycle, the racer should take into account of the engine performance, because if the engine broken in race then he would not reach finish line.
Bro, if you understand that products of technology have limit of performance, then technology would not make you impatient. Like when you wanted to call with cellphone but the line was congested. Yeah bro, phone line has limit of ability to accommodate numbers of calling. If too much people use this line in the same time of course the line would be congested.
And product of technology have 'class' too. Speed of dot matrix printer is different than speed of laser printer. Speed of cheap printer is different than speed of expensive printer, just like speed of 125cc scooter is different than speed of 1000cc superbike.
Most definitely, we have become so accustomed to ease and comfort that we would kick up a fuss if things dont go any faster, so to speak.
Technology has brought a great amount of convenience to us by conveying the message swiftly, but along with that came impatience as well. I guess thats the progression of life in technology, the more advanced we become the more we expect.
Makes me think also, how long it used to take to send a message and receive replies via letters etc. Thats how life is, I guess
We need to remember that "technology" doesn´t mean only the newest inventions but all the tools we are using, like knives or hammers. We have used "technology" thousands of years to make our life easier, not only make us lazier. Even the bicycle, chimney or window glass were the new modern technical inventions at one time.
We compare sending emails and letters but when we write and send letters, we need to remember that also the pencil and ability to make paper are results of some technical inventions too.
Maybe it makes me lazy and impatient than I can go to shop buying paper than if I should make my own paper from some vegetable fibers.
From Occupied Palestine:
We have suffered too much for too long. We will not accept apartheid masked as peace. We will settle for no less than our freedom.
(pensive) I wonder… does technology make us impatient? Or are we naturally prone to this weakness, and technology panders to it?
I first noticed with my children when they were small, that the more they got, the more they expected and the worse they behaved. (smile) I'm not talking of the basic necessities of life, I'm talking about extras. Like nice food, treats, fun times, free time… I remember one day the children going to an amusement park. They went on many rides, got all the food treats they asked for, and basically had a thoroughly fabulous time. Then on the way home, they started clamouring for something (I can't recall what), and they got it. Then they got home, and wanted something else. And I said: No, you've had enough. And goodness, what a fuss they made! Well, I realized that they were tired. But I also realized that when we get too much of a good thing, we get spoilt.
I think technology is rather like that. The quicker, easier and simpler something is… the more we expect, and the more we are likely to complain. So that it is not the technology that is making us impatient or lazy or whatever, but that once we have a taste of ease and rapidity, we greedily want more and more.
May Allah, the Glorious, Help us to restrain ourselves and grow in ways Pleasing to Him.
We do get accustomed to conveniences and fast services (often aided by technology) and take it for granted. When it isn't up to our expectations (my expectations, more specifically) I do find myself growing impatient.
He : My internet connection is very slow. It's annoy me!.
Me : Which internet package did you choose?.
He : The cheap package.
Me : You choose cheap internet package but you expect speed like expensive package???
Bro Greenhill, if you are not willing to pay more you don't need to expect technology that meet your expectation.
That is a choice we make. If you make that choice then you have to live with it.
I'm just talking in general. We know that it does not take days to go around the world now. We know that when we board a plane we will land (in syaa Allah) at a certain time. We expect to be there around about the time. If there was a delay, we get impatient. Whereas before all the technology, travelling that would take months is about arriving, not so much about when. Having to walk to the neighbour's house to call. Now we expect reception on our mobile phones everywhere. When we send a message we expect fairly quick replies. Wasn't long ago we wrote letters, and would be some time before you would get a reply.
Your earlier post mentioned racing bikes. Again that is about choices. I give you a more specific example. I started driving with a 1.3 litres progressed to a 1.5 and then a 1.8 and the difference in power delivery was significant. All front wheel drive. With the 1.3 I could overtake two buses and a car, with the 1.5 I could add another bus to the overtaking manoeuvre, but with the 1.8, I could add another 2 buses (or lorries ) and add 2 cars! It was woooaaayyyyyy heyyyyyyy!!!! It shaved an hour of travelling time. What used to be a 6 hour journey, became sub 5 hours... times change. I took my first 3.0 car. . . I thought I'd never get used to the power. But I did.. and I could do with more. Then I dabbled with a 5.0
Now I go for 2.5 max. Good enough. But for sheer exhilaration, I prefer the bike, and take it out in the track on occasions.
I look back at how much we have benefited from the progress of technology since I was a kid. If the internet goes down for a day and I don't know why, I'd be fuming. Actually it is nothing. I have become technologically dependant. I would be highly irritated if I can't withdraw money from the cash dispenser, etc. I remember having to go with my passbook and identification to withdraw money, and had to be during office hours.
I realised that my appetite is really insatiable. I had to curtail it. Sometimes I have to remind myself of the past times to appreciate what is available today.
That is a choice we make. If you make that choice then you have to live with it.
I'm just talking in general. We know ........
Oh bro, if you are impatient, it's not because technology.
You can predict how much time you will spend if you go from city A to city B by bicycle, and by motorcycle. You can tolerate this difference, but you expect both of them to be on time and you cannot tolerate delay. You know if you send me cellphone message I would receive your message immediately, but you also expect me to reply immediately too, and you would be impatient if I replied your message a hour later.
So bro, your impatience actually has nothing to do with technology. If you are impatient, it's because basically you have impatient nature. Then what you should do now is develop your patience.
And also do not depend on technology because if the technology that you use get malfunction, then you would not survive.
Do you like adventure, bro?. Go to nature and do adventure. When I was young I love go to nature, climb the hill, went to forest, camping on the deserted beach, swam in the river. Adventure made me realize that I should not depend on technology and also trained my survival ability.
I agree with sister MuslimInshallahAlhamdulilah always making good points! Jazahka Allah.
I don't see myself as impatient because my mind is always preoccupied.
I tend to do zikar when i remember or my mind is preoccupied with things i need to do or random thoughts. Maybe this is because i have an extremely patient mum and have picked up this trait.
Am not generally a complainer i use this time to contemplate about things (maybe i think too much!)
Pain and hardships allow you to grow spiritually Alhamdulilah so smile when a so called calamity befalls upon you.
Alhamdulilah Allah swt is the greatest.
Yup. There was a thread that asked that same question. I reflected on it and decided for me that it has made more impatient than lazy... hence I created this thread. .
As long as my heart does beat, I shall live, not lie
For when my heart does stop its beat, with truth, I die.
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Maybe it makes me lazy and impatient than I can go to shop buying paper than if I should make my own paper from some vegetable fibers.
) and add 2 cars! It was woooaaayyyyyy heyyyyyyy!!!! It shaved an hour of travelling time. What used to be a 6 hour journey, became sub 5 hours... times change. I took my first 3.0 car. . . I thought I'd never get used to the power. But I did.. and I could do with more. Then I dabbled with a 5.0
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