#852 Gadgetolic

Sometimes I wonder about our addiction to new and flashy technology. It seems to make our lives needlessly complex in the pursuit of simplicity. We trade a lot of time trying to figure something out for the supposed time we’re going to save using the dang thing.
I said, I ain’t gonna use no dang RE-mote con-TROL. When I caint get up to change the dang channel you can shoot me.
There are now four remotes sitting on the coffee table. One of them never gets used. It’s the universal remote I can’t figure out how to program to replace the other three.
I was at a friend’s house. They had this new double oven with all the bell and whistles—timers, rotisserie, convection, broiler. It had a program console that looked like it came out of a jet cockpit.
The technologically-challenged spouse was having a hard time setting it to “warm.” Finally she did what all digitally disabled folks do. She pressed the help button.
You know your oven is too complex when it has a help button.
There is something incredibly wrong with having any device telling you how to work it.
A tool shouldn’t be smarter than its user.
But we rush out and buy these things. Even when we know they can hurt us. Remember a few years back when offices across the land were getting sued for carpal tunnel promoting practices? Remember the solution—those weird “ergonomic” keyboards that were sort of split in half? You couldn’t see the keys because they tilted out of your line of vision so you could hold your hands in a “more natural” sideways position.
Ever looked at the keyboard on a laptop? The keys are spaced further, the whole thing is flat, and sits up higher. Ergonomic it ain’t. Why no lawsuits?
Because laptops are voluntary. People will subject themselves to a lot of pain to get the coolest gadget. If they were required by their employer to endure that same pain, no way.
But to while away the day in the coffee shop, browsing the internet, and impressing friends with their acquisition of the newest technology? Seize the pain baby.
Carpal Diem.
America, ya gotta love it.