Beyond the Book: Technology Or Not?

“Have you ever visited a part of the country where things were done as in older times or were far more modern than you are accustomed?”

A long time ago when I was a child life was very different for my grandparents and their friends. They lived on a subsistence farm with eight children. My grandmother cooked on a wood stove, and her meals were something too good to miss, partly I’m sure due to the fact that everything was raised on the farm. The kids worked on the farm, but they also spent time damming up the creek, setting traps for rabbits, and playing outdoors. The house was heated by a wood heater and two fireplaces. They had no air conditioner in the summer, but the house was constructed to take advantage of any breeze that came along so the heat was never oppressive. In their later years they installed a bathroom on their back porch, which was quite an achievement for the time as many people were still using outhouses.

As a child I spent a lot of time on that farm. It wasn’t much like my own house which was a modern up to date ranch house with running water, central heat, and inside bathrooms, but I still loved it at the farm. I didn’t mind the lack of conveniences at all. 

Fast forward to 2021. I’m all plugged in to modern technology. Before I retired all of my students grades were entered into an electronic grade book. I used a Smart Board instead of a chalk board or a white board. My students did research online, and I used online resources myself to help prepare lessons. 

At home my husband and I both have nice computers and even a couple of extra ones. We have security cameras outside although I don’t know if we need them or not. My son gave them to us at Christmas so we used them. Our TV and appliances do all kinds of things, some of which confuse me, especially the TV. 

It’s hard to imagine living with more technology, but I know it’s possible. We just had two civilian flights to outer space, right? Personally, though, I’m okay with what I have now. I don’t really need any more technology. Remember, as a child I played on that farm, and I have very fond memories of it. What about you? Would you like to experience more technology?