Last night, as many other nights before it, a thought was lingering in mind that I thought might be “posting” material, but it was the type of thought I usually don’t remember by the time I get around to a computer. It has to do with the usual shutting off a computer and lights before my "sleepy-go-by"; because every time I do that and am exposed to a dark room, I come to the quick realization of how artificial the whole experience was. Everything I was involved with in the computer is just some artificial light coming from a thin screen. Yet the computer is not the only piece of technology I notice, I notice a housefull of technology; from the refrigerater that’s still working to the lights that were just on, to the bed to the house itself etc. etc.
I notice these things partially because I’m so “involved in history” (no, it’s not what you’re thinking; I don’t have a time machine and go back in time to change history); I constantely learn about past events or have some aspects of past history in my mind, which makes me very aware of the novelty of every aspect of technology I come in contact with.
Which got me to thinking: Is all this technology really representative of us being more “advanced” than our predacessors. Even though we’re surrounded by technology, we ourselves are still the same animals, we just do things in a more sophisticated way; we eat off a plate and with utencils, but it's essentially the same act of eating that one of our forebearers might have done off a freshly killed carcass. Obviously the fact that we exrete into small, mobile bodies of water doesn’t change the nature of exretion, and even though we sleep on a bed it’s the same sleep (it goes without saying that our sexual interactions, not considering certain partner preferences are no different than they once were). So essentially we’re cavemen living out our earthy lives in these hi-tech-filled edifices we call homes.
Which brings us to consider the nature of civilization in general; what does it mean to be “civilized”? Obviously much has been said about this by the philosophers of the past millennia or two, but I wish to reconsider it. For starters, it has always been my opinion that people even a century ago were far more “civilized” than we are. Today, to some extent, the only sign of our civilization is the technology we use, not the philosophies we harbor. And what, my friends, is the end goal of technology, what is its purpose? It seemed to me, on my bed last night (while trying to balance my thoughts between this and a mélange of senseless thoughts a man is bound to have before the currents of sleep overtake him) that the only purpose of these technologies is, to a large extent, improving people’s physical existence. So while a reasonable amount of it seems to be beneficial, it’s end seems pointless. In America, for example, it has created a nation of people who eat in a hi-tech way, sleep in a hi-tech way, go to the bathroom in a hi-tech way and have sex in a hi-tech way. But for what? To aggrandize the animal within us?
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveichik's book I mentioned not long ago on this platform, “Lonely Man of Faith”, is based on the idea that he felt that his place among the rabbi's and philosophers was a lonely and relatively pointless one considering that the majority of people are engeged in actions that are productive in reality and help make the world a better and thriving place. I personally am not really sure how he had this problem; all the physical and technological accomplishments people make only serve to improve people's physical life--i.e. making them better and more efficient animals! The real "innovators" are the men (...and women) of spirit and thought, of religion and philosophy, for they give the entire process meaning, and lends significance and purpose to the toil of men (....and women). (and Larry).
This actually seems to be a recurring theme in my philosophy; I think I've written about this here before...
7 comments:
"but it was the type of thought I usually don’t remember by the time I get around to a computer." -- You should do what I do. Carry paper with you wherever you go, so if a thought strikes you when you are not in close proximity to a computer, you can just write it down and return to it later.
"I come to the quick realization of how artificial the whole experience was." -- I often think about that too... every time I hear the birds singing outside my room, every time I read a pre-20th century book or watch a period piece, every time I pick up my quill and ink. Actually, that is WHY I use quills and ink. I often feel that writing on the computer is so more artificial, and that is why I created a corner for myself in the attic that contains only things a 19th century room would contain. Writing there feels so much more real for some reason. That's why my username is inkstainedhands....
"For starters, it has always been my opinion that people even a century ago were far more “civilized” than we are. Today, to some extent, the only sign of our civilization is the technology we use, not the philosophies we harbor." -- I agree.
"You should do what I do. Carry paper with you wherever you go'- That's a good idea, but 1) I'm not always in the position to write, and 2) Most of my thinking is done on Shabbat!
"Actually, that is WHY I use quills and ink."- Haha. You use a quill and ink?!
..I actually used them myself, but only for "safrut"; it's kind of cool writing something that could have been written the exact same was a thousand years ago...but it wasn't for me!
"created a corner for myself in the attic that contains only things a 19th century room would contain."- Yeah, I'm also sort of an anti-technology dude; when I lived alone I insisted in having every room lit with candles instead of electric lights (the truth is it's FAR more relaxing if you're on the verge of a headache. Well, that and incense! ..you had to be there!
"That's why my username is inkstainedhands"- Oh, so it wasn't poetic licence at all...
But yeah, there's no question that all this computer chatting texting language is making people way stupider..
"Haha. You use a quill and ink?!" -- Your liberal usage of "haha" is difficult to understand in context. And yes, I use a quill and ink sometimes. I just made a post on my blog about it actually...
"it's kind of cool writing something that could have been written the exact same was a thousand years ago..." -- Yes, it is. Although I was not aiming for a thousand years ago, rather more like two or three centuries ago.
"when I lived alone I insisted in having every room lit with candles instead of electric lights" -- I wanted to do that, but my mother was quite worried. I did make a drawing once using only a candle. The candle was actually part of the drawing (along with an antique-looking book, a bottle of wine, and a quill and ink), but it also served to create the proper shadows, so I turned off the other lights. That was really cool.
"Well, that and incense! ..you had to be there!" -- That reminds me of the Renaissance Faire... goodness, I miss it. There are woods all around and incense lit everywhere, and you feel as though you are genuinely living in another century. That is where I bought my first feather quill (the one in my profile picture).
"But yeah, there's no question that all this computer chatting texting language is making people way stupider.." -- Undoubtedly. My classmates once asked an English teacher if they could use internet lingo on an exam. Gah.
"Your liberal usage of "haha" is difficult to understand in context."- Haha! I use it instead of "lol" which doesn't seem like the sound laughing makes to me. I'm laughing because it's a bit silly to be using a quill in a time when better modes of writing are availible (notice I said "a little" silly).
"I wanted to do that, but my mother was quite worried"- That's the problem with not living alone!
"I did make a drawing once using only a candle."- You should email it over sometime, I'd like to check it out..
"Renaissance Faire"- I haven't heard of that. Maybe I'll Google it..
"if they could use internet lingo on an exam."- "..she H8ed him, but WAN2TLK 2him AAR.."
"I use it instead of "lol" which doesn't seem like the sound laughing makes to me." -- In that case, feel free to use "haha" as often as you like. Just don't use internet lingo.
"I'm laughing because it's a bit silly to be using a quill in a time when better modes of writing are availible" -- Better modes? That is arguable, especially since we are commenting on a post in which you wrote about the downside of technology. Why do you say that what we have now is better? Perhaps it is more convenient, but is it really better?
"(notice I said "a little" silly)." -- Well, actually, you said "a bit," but we won't get into that.
"You should email it over sometime, I'd like to check it out.." -- It is not really complete. It is just a black and white pencil drawing. I can't even scan it because it is larger than my scanner. It's 17 x 14.
"Why do you say that what we have now is better?"- "More efficient", OK?
"It's 17 x 14."- Theoretically you can take a photo of it, but I cringe to think how that would come out..
I should have mentioned: "Caves of Steel" is an Isaac Asimov novel. Part of the Foundation Trilogy. I read a lot of Asimov as a child and was greatly inspired by him. The term caves of steel was used to describe a planet entirely covered by metal. If I return to New York City after having been gone for a long time, I'm reminded of the beginning of the book, where he describes what's it's like to enter the planet...
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