"Nothing is ever simple anymore."

[Lauren Steates]

In the first couple pages of Distraction Fontenot says to Oscar, “Nothing is ever simple anymore.” I can’t help but think that this is the truth now and will continue to be the truth in the future. So is new technology making things simpler or more complicated?

It is no secret that technology is designed to make our lives easier. New advancements have made many tasks that used to be long and tedious much simpler. However, I think that technology has made life itself so much more complex. People now live busy life styles where they can get in their car and go from place to place. Kids no longer sit at home and read a book, but play video games, watch TV, and go from activity to activity.

So as new technology emerges, will our lives get crazier and crazier?

[Jonathan Wolfe]

When you say that we "are on the cusp of revolutionary times", do you mean that we are on the verge of something more radical than previous "major" technological innovations such as electricity, the telephone, the car, television, the computer, the internet, etc. Do you think technology has a kind of exponential charactertistic whereby new innovations are increasingly more influential?

[Amanda McK]

Definitely. Watch the "Shift Happens" video on the main page, it says exactly the same thing. It's really interesting, but terrifying as well.

[Rachel Glod]

I don't know that technology is entirely to blame for the compications and changes that are happening. There is so much that comes with social "development" - scientific breakthroughs, social changes and moral compromises can each/all be both causes and effects of technological design/implementation.

I found Distraction really fascinating, and I think it raises some interesting questions - namely the one you have asked, Lauren. And is "crazier" life bad? Is it good? Who can qualify those ideas? Usually, the people who try are the people who most feel the need to label things. I have no idea quite what to think of anything at the moment because there is so much to wrap my little head around. But I'm really glad that people keep asking questions - it makes me consider new and alternative "answers," which keeps things interesting, if nothing else!

[Kelli Voltz]

omg, I definately think they are getting crazier and crazier. I often find myself telling my fiance....I wish I lived back then when my grandparents did it just seemed like a much more relaxed and simple life. I'm sure that they didn't feel like that at times but all the technology these days stresses me out more than makes my life simpler and easier it seems! Some says I'm thanking god for the internet and my cell phone while other days I wish they never existed!

[Cheryl Meany]

I couldn't agree more! The more technology we have, the more ridiculous our lives seem to get. I wonder though, is it because we have more time to pack more in because of the technology or is it something else. I can't help but think that it has become the norm for people to overexert their time and energy in our world today. I know I feel guilty when I say no to someone because I want to do something simple, like have dinner with my husband for once! It worries me that at 28, I cannot even take a break and feel like I can't take a break because there is always something going on, something new to try, etc. What will the world be like for our children? Seriously, my students at school are WAY more technologically advanced than I am and, yet, cannot look an adult in the face when we have a conversation because they aren't used to face-to-face contact and don't really know how that works! There needs to be some sort of regulation, but unfortunately we are relying on parents here to regulate and we all know that there are a lot of parents out there who welcome the technology because the technology takes care of the kids so they don't have to.