Remember that good old saying, “it's better safe than sorry”? Sometimes you find yourself in an irreversible position — stuck. What do you do when your way of life is interrupted? The stark reality goes to show just how, as a society, have become so dependent on technology.

I have found myself in a quite sorry predicament, as my laptop of over four years has finally crashed. I should not even say “crashed,” because I don't know what is wrong with it, just that I cannot get it to work. After attempting to troubleshoot, Google failed in providing me with the answer to my technical problems. I suppose this electronic device has served me well over the duration of a bachelor's degree, yet I am still frustrated and anticipating the worst diagnosis. Left without a resolution, I wanted to throw my laptop out the window. It is one of those things that I know happens, but it was not supposed to happen to me.

It was really a lucky break that I did not keep anything of utmost importance on it... yet the prospect of losing information permanently makes me nervous that I am forgetting something vital that I might have stored from years past. Perhaps it is a cruel reminder that technology is not as infallible and long-lasting as we like to believe. Technology is a wonder and gives our lives so much ease, but has it weakened us more than we are aware of? It is only when you are forced to stop that you realize how much it has integrated in your life. The involuntary separation from my laptop has made me question how much I really use it, especially as I come to the end of my educational career. Is it a want or a need? How necessary is it to be connected to so many different devices?

At the end of the day, I am sans laptop but more appreciative than ever before for the lifestyle that I lead. When you think about what you have to lose, you become a lot more appreciative of the privileges taken for granted. Taking a step back and breaking off from a lifestyle that encourages tunnel vision will reveal just how dependent we have become.

What if the technology is the problem? We like to think of ourselves as in control, but if you stop and observe people around you, that is hardly the case.We have become absorbed in our devices to a point where it seems like the cold contact is preferred over human contact. Our solution to our problems is creating a generation of hand-held adults, which just might just be the end.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.