Change

Having been born in 1934 I have witnessed much change in the world. Most of the changes have made life better, but some I feel like I could do without. Some things I didn’t have growing up, including indoor plumbing, air conditioning, television, self-propelled lawnmowers, cell phones and a host of modern medicines that thankfully have extended the life cycle. While you often hear of people longing for the “good ole days,” the good new days with all the new comfort-giving things have really made our lives better.

Some modern conveniences I could do without. On my list of aggravation is the password. I don’t use my computer often to bank or to send secret messages to anyone so why on earth do I need a password that seems to be forever changing? Some of it seems silly. As an example, if I have forgotten my password and try to access my bank account by hitting a few buttons, I can get a new password and start over again gaining access to my bank. Other frustrating modern gadgets are answering machines. Having dealt with government for many years I have become convinced that a significant number of bureaucrats simply report to work, turn their machines on and go about their other business, or take the rest of the day off leaving constituents to ponder the answer to their question had a human being answered the telephone. There are a few tricks you might try, however. For example, when you get one of these solicitation phone calls, if you ask immediately whether or not you are speaking to a human or machine it will take an inordinate amount of time to respond. If it takes more than about 15 seconds, hang up; it would be a waste and all they would want from you is money. In connection with the answering machine being frustrating, I am also satisfied it is contributing significantly to unemployment. Many times, when I have a simple question for a business, I am greeted by an array of extension numbers and subject matters by a recording. Unfortunately, most of the time none of the subject matter lists the one I have a question about. If you follow the instructions and leave your own phone number for a call back, good luck.

Third on the list of aggravating things the electronic age has brought us is that of unsolicited phone calls at all hours of the day and night. Ninety percent are seeking donations to some worthy cause and generally the caller will not take “no” for an answer but insist on giving you their entire spiel before they release their grip on your phone line. I can without fear of contradiction give good advice which is never donate to these telephone solicitations. I have learned from past legal cases I have handled that the vast majority of the money donated in response to telephone solicitor, does not go to the worthy cause.

Finally, if you really want to get lost in the electronic wilderness, try locating a message you started to send, but disappeared from your screen. Just try calling one up.

All and all, when I get serious about thinking about the “good ole days,” I must admit that being able to simply open the door and gain access to child food is much better than having to tote a fifty-pound block of ice from the truck and placing it in the icebox in the kitchen. I must admit that trading some aggravation for the comforts brought by modern day science and technology is not such a real bad deal.