How quickly things have changed! Not too many years ago our homes and offices were quite capable of running happily without access to the Internet. Instead of downloading or streaming films we went to the rental stores. Instead of accessing 24-hour news updates at a single click, we read daily newspapers or monthly magazines. Our offices were slower - less focused on speed. Whether at work or at home there was less pressure to be always available - or to be constantly connected.
And now? We rely so much on the Internet, with its speedy data transfers and widened communication possibilities, that we are simply unable to function without it. A break in the connection means that our offices grind to a halt. No longer do we receive the updates we crave. We feel cut off from the world - unable to communicate. And it only takes a few minutes - seconds, even - for the irritation to begin.
It's sad in a way, because, after all, the world did function prior to the World Wide Web. Technology has given us much. We should indeed be thankful for its richness and the benefits we derive. But perhaps we should also remember how to exist without it. Just in case...
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