Serving at the Altar of Tech

For many of us, it seems we’ve lost a significant amount of control from the analog days.  Are we turning into slaves to our digital tech?

Joe Berger has a problem with this tech-heavy, digitally intrusive lifestyle we are leading.

“Our tech is supposed to manage us, make our lives easier, make us happier. Does it?” he asks in a recent post titled “In Praise of Analog.”

Clearly not, at least for Berger.

“At the beginning of many runs or bike rides, I find myself mildly annoyed with the Fitbit app because of some lag or error message or the simple fact that it exists and I feel compelled to turn it on,” he continues. “I’ve been known to give the finger to my poor iPhone because the free version of MapMyRide is chock full of pop ups, interruptions and requests to rate it. Then I feel irritated that I feel entitled not to want to pay for the pop up free version.”

Gone are the days when a wrench and a good set of screwdrivers could solve your mechanical issues in the laundry room, under the hood and at the office. Now it seems that not only are appliances burning out faster, much of what we purchase and come to rely on so heavily is planned for obsolesce in fairly short order.

“Let me make it clear, I’m not some Luddite wishing for the days when we had to cross the room to change the channel from CBS to ABC,” he continues. “I usually appreciate the tech and think that much of it is nice to have.

“But it seemed like analog refrigerators, TVs, cars, stereo systems and phone worked for me. They were there to serve me. They did exactly what I told them to do.”

Like Berger, we do appreciate the advances technology has brought. Our industry, in particular, has seen enormous advances for printing companies and the clients we serve, thanks to technology enhancements to our new production equipment.

Still, it comes at a price. Can technology be helpful? Absolutely. Can it become a tyrant that exists to be served? You bet.

“Today, I often feel like I serve at the pleasure of my tech. I do what they tell me to do,” says Berger.

Who’s serving who in your world?