My pencil never crashes.

I have been thinking lately about computers. The modern, developed world is way too dependent on them. And I'm not talking just PCs, Macs, etc. I'm talking even the simplest kind, like the ones that are in calculators. Think about how many things we depend on computers for. If anyone wanted to undo modern society, all they'd have to do is take our beloved computers away.We use them for so much: email, instant messaging, video messaging, applying for financial aid and student loans, job applications, banking, reading ebooks, looking up phone numbers and addresses, GPS/ directions to places, shopping, managing cell phone/cable tv/internet/movie rental plans...and that is not at all an exhaustive list. Just a few things that popped into my head. And they never work perfectly, so they're an added stressor in our lives. Just another thing that can go wrong.

I don't know about you, but my math skills are pretty rusty. I'd be in trouble without a calculator. And I'm guessing a lot of other people would too. Think about when the power goes out at a local store...the cashiers (likely high school students) have trouble figuring out how much change to give back without using a computer or calculator. I'm not judging, because I would probably have trouble too. But I think in some ways our schools have encouraged these poor math skills. I've actually had several math teachers who told us we must have a calculator for math class, because the math we were going to do would take far too long if we were to try and do it with paper and pencil. Really? I'm pretty sure my parents did it without calculators when they were in school. They probably understood it better, too. I don't even know how most of the math I learned even works, because the only thing I learned was which buttons to push on my calculator.

Mathematics aside, I am dependent on computers for a lot of other things. I think this is a new thing with my generation. Most of us have trouble with real life, face-to-face communication. Our language is ridden with "uhs," "ums," and "likes." We can't seem to spit out an entire sentence or form a complete thought without throwing in a filler word. I do the same thing. My generation just isn't used to having to speak well. And really, many of us don't even speak to each other over the phone. We text. And we're just baffled when someone doesn't have texting on their phone plan. It's like we don't understand the concept of making a phone call. We don't even take the time to write a personal email anymore. My inbox is full of forwards, automated email newsletters, etc. I think I've gotten an email written personally by someone I actually know maybe twice in the past year.

Then there's video chatting. Which I love, don't get me wrong. It's an amazing way to stay in touch with people who are far away. It feels more personal, like you're almost in the same room. But sometimes I think we depend too much on video chatting and instant messaging.

And if we didn't have any sort of computers, we wouldn't even have phones or email or video messaging. We'd have to pick up a pencil and write a letter. Or worse yet, we'd have to actually walk/bike and visit people. Sometimes I think countries that haven't developed enough to have computers everywhere are actually lucky. They still have human contact. They still have communities where people really connect with each other in meaningful ways. It's something my generation of tech-savvy chronic computer-users has lost to a great extent.

I'm definitely not saying I'm exempt from this. I've grown up in a culture where new computers and new technologies are being developed every day. It's a huge industry. It's an integral part of how people my age communicate with each other. And I love using computers. I love blogging and watching uploading videos to YouTube. Computers have made some really good things possible. I just think I want to learn how to connect more personally with people again. Like when I was a kid, and my friends and I could play and use our imaginations and run around outside together all day long and still not be ready to come inside by dinner time. We actually interacted with each other. I want that back.

At least my pencil never crashes! -Unknown Author