March 30, 2015
Alexander Nedd
[email protected]
I hate new technology.
Everywhere you look, technology is rapidly evolving. We’re always being told about the newest car, the latest phone model, the newest and best operating system. As Samsung would say, “The Next Big Thing Is Here.”
It’s supposedly an exciting time to be alive. All the world’s information is at our fingertips, ready to travel distances once unimaginable to mankind 100, 50, or even 20 years ago.
But this mindset is damaging us in so many ways, and technology has so many unintended negative consequences.
People have a strong desire to get the latest gadget, even if they don’t have the means. They plummet themselves into debt and despair just to fit in.
I’m a ‘90s kid who is blessed with the opportunities given to me by new technology. But each and every year a better, smaller device is being revealed over its predecessor, causing Millennials to lose their minds and obsess on having the newest, brightest, shiniest gadget.
“The Next Big Thing Is Here,” according to Samsung.
Why? What was wrong with the previous big thing?
I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 in my pocket and it works just fine. Why is my device now universally believed to be behind the times, despite its launch less than a year ago?
The learning curve for new technology is out of this world. I just bought a new Lenovo laptop to replace a Toshiba that I was given as a graduation present my freshman year in college. It’s pretty nice, has decent memory and the latest 2014 operating system.
But I still don’t know how to use it. All laptops are the same, right?
No. The standard Microsoft Windows 8 and touchscreen capabilities were advances I was not prepared for. Simple tasks such as changing the home screen or loading apps are frustrating to perform.
I can deal with learning a new operating system maybe once every three or four years, but not every year. Not only are we wasting time learning new technology, we lose the investment placed into our now out-of-date devices.
I’d rather spend money feeling like I’m making a good investment instead of frantically trying to keep up to date with both friends and other brands.
I love the digital age, but we need to make it more economical and beneficial for all users.