Just read the Rambling Librarian’s post about his “digital life”, and how he’s become dependent on and embraced so many aspects of technology.
I’m reliant on the Internet, computers and other technological equipment for work, and personal use. I’ve grown to depend on digital cameras, mobile phones and computers. Emails and blogs play a significant part in how I maintain personal contacts and relationships.
Me too! I can’t imagine my life without all the technology that Rambling Librarian mentions. Email, blogs (via RSS), all the “Web 2.0” tools – they all help me learn and make connections with other people.
I’m sure I would be fine without these tools, but they’re fun, they make my life so much richer, more enjoyable and more interesting it makes sense to incorporate them into my daily routines. As Rambling Librarian says:
The things I do, the digital lifestyle that I lead — they just make sense to me; I find them balanced and productive; they don’t interfere with my job (and I try my darnest not to allow my job to interfere in them); I derive personal satisfaction from those activities.
On a different note, many people around me seem to think online interactions and friendships are somehow less real, or less valuable than Real Life friendships. My counter to that is that such interactions can be as real as any other – it depends what you put into them, just like any other friendship.
Categories: balance, blogging, Internet, technology
10 Comments
I completely agree. My e-friends are friends, too. They can make the difference between a lonely day and a great day (says she who could have had an utterly empty day today but for her e-friends). And I always learn something from them, every single day.
Wikipedia is essential to my lifestyle. And because of my work both IMDB and dictionary.com as well.
Of course when I go bush I can leave it all behind and not miss it.
Agree on all points!
And it soooo great for keeping in touch with family and friends overseas! I ‘speak’ to some of them more than when I lived 2 hours away!
We could manage without(letters and printed photos), but it is sooo much easier now with email, flickr, a blog, skype, webcam(though we don’t use those last two much for some reason, but do use a cheap international phone card).
Ditto to all the above. Although the tech these days still isn’t fast enough for some. I’m thinking here of certain grandparents of a certain baby, who probably still wouldn’t be satisfied even if we had instantaneous teleportation 🙂
Iris, yes great for learning stuff. And so interesting to talk to when they are on the other side of the world! 🙂
Skribe I guess it’s a matter of having the right tool for the job at the right time, eh?
Simone, so true! Both my families are using all these tools to keep in touch as well. Makes it so easy!
Toxic Purity I can imagine JOOB’s grandparents wanting to know EVERYTHING about him 🙂 When is their next trip? (or are you guys going over?)
Hi CW, nice to see how the discussion has spun off from here. BTW, I’m using your blog post for an upcoming blog course 🙂
Yeah, in the bush they have this thing called fire. It’s kinda like tv but you can cook stuff on it. Wish we could get it here.
Cheers, Ivan – thanks for writing the original thought-provoker in the first place 🙂 What sort of blog course is it?
Skribe you guys having more power cuts out at your place? 😉
Yes, I’m currently communicating thanks to RFC 1149.
Only problem with pigeons is the poo. 😉