Do you ever think that we've OVER-simplified the world?
I have two examples that are SUPER helpful and are great technological advances - but that I still complain about regularly.
#1: Direct Deposit
I love direct deposit because I hate running errands. Before direct deposit, I had to (a) wait for my paycheck to come in the mail (or get handed to be at work at one of my jobs) and then drive to the bank and then stand in line and then wait for the check to clear and THEN I'd get to spend my money. With direct deposit, the money is magically waiting for me on payday, and I can then spend it immediately.
YAY.
Crap.
Although it's lovely to have my money available immediately, not going to the bank means that I'm not filling out a deposit slip, which then means that I'm not filling out the little line asking how much money I want to receive in cash versus deposit.
Which, of course, means that I never have cash. Ever.
Argh! LOVE immediate money, HATE never having actual cold, hard cash.
Whereas it was once routine to go to the bank weekly, it's now a pain in the ass to even go to the ATM. We've over-simplified life!
#2: Digital Cameras
I was given my first digital camera about 4 years ago by my friend Stephanie. Before that, I'd used the same trusty 35mm for many years - in fact, it was my 16th birthday present from my father. It was a brilliant camera, terrific zoom lens, built like a tank (I drop stuff...a lot) and followed me to dozens of states and a handful of countries taking thousands of pictures.
Know what happened to those pictures, after they were shot?
Righto - they were developed.
Like at the pharmacy. Where they hand you actual pictures that you can put in albums, frames, or send to family and friends.
I'm now on my second digital camera. I bought it the weekend before my first baby shower, last summer. Great deal from the now defunct Circuit City. High-end camera. Works like a charm.
Know what it doesn't do?
Spit out film that I need to take to the pharmacy to get developed, so that I can then have shots to put in albums, frames, or send to family and friends.
Now, those thousands of pictures that I take (dude...I have a baby...we're constantly snapping shots) get transferred to my laptop, posted to Shutterfly if people hassle me enough, and only very, very randomly get turned into prints to send out or display.
Why is the drive to the pharmacy to get prints done now twice as long as it was when I used to drive there twice - once to drop off film and again to pick up the developed prints?
Over-simplification...how has it affected your life?
I look at prints of photos this way. I email photos to my family and friends and if they want prints, they can download them and have them made into prints. You're way too conscientious. Once it goes online, it's out of my hands.
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