Use it or lose it: It's a Catch 22. But then you gotta catch the other 627.

Technology and I have a love-hate relationship. I love it, and it hates me. It is a relationship born from my workaholic, efficiency-hound tendencies--unhappily wed to my incompatibility with a 21st century technology lifestyle. I'm not afraid of technology; only a little sad to see the older, more community-oriented and placid way of life going out the window.

Let's be analytic here. The modern technology revolution is really but a reaction, an exploitation of the BIG pre-21st century development: the Internet.
As I was growing through infancy, the Internet went through its own infancy--through Dial-up and desktops, wires and Y2K. Emerging from youth, the Internet and I finally united. Starting high school, with its online courses and blog assignments, I noticed the Internet had finally superseded all other forms of communication. Indeed, the utility of the internet has become downright revolutionary. Not just revolutionary for the lives of a single person, or nation--we are talking a worldwide revolution of the lifestyle of all of humanity. Even the people who don't use it can't escape its effect. This is sounding a little bit too much like The Wal-Mart Effect...

So, what does the prolific Internet mean to me? Progress. Efficiency. Organization. And as an opportunist and utilitarian, I praise these. I don't really care if books feel nice to your fingers, or if you can't stand the chaos of the internet. Simply put, with the Internet, I can do more, better, and faster than ever. So the nay-sayers better learn to deal with it or they're going to fall behind.
Some people say the abundance of information and communication is overwhelming--so much so it is counterproductive, because no one can learn anything from all the everything. I agree it can be overwhelming, but that is why we have to approach with a method to the madness. If I want a certain kind of fish, I get a special bate, a special rod, a special boat and a special place.

So I learned to love the Internet and its resulting technology of supreme efficiency. But then the problems ensue. My eyes cannot, and probably never will be able to handle a computer screen for more than a couple hours. I hate sitting for more than an hour. I love exercising, in-person social interaction, the outdoors, and charismatic speaking. But a 21st century technology lifestyle neglects these quirks, and so many more. My only alleviation to this unhappy marriage is limiting my use of the Internet to a select couple hours a day. Otherwise I would go crazy. I already know people who have gone crazy just trying to catch all the Pokemon (see title).

All in all, to me Internet technology presents an invaluable advance in the knowledge, and consequently power of the human race. Something so revolutionary always takes some getting used to, doesn't it?