Gratitude journal entry #17: I’m grateful for technology

I’m grateful for technology! Check out today’s gratitude journal entry.

In this post, I’m really talking to the Millennials and older generations. It’s time for a bit of nostalgia.

Do you remember how bulky your first few cell phones were? Think about the size of your childhood television set and your desktop monitor.  Oh my goodness, compare the size of the system units we had in the early 2000’s to the ones we have now. Advancements in technology have replaced bulky with tiny and sleek, and I’m beyond grateful.

Everything was so slow. I mean, back then we didn’t think it was slow but try using a computer running on Windows 97 or 2000 today. I can talk about this because let me tell you, I use one of those operating systems in our church office from time to time. The mouse sticks all the time; I struggle to find certain things in Microsoft Exel. The paper clip guy isn’t helpful and all the icons all look so funny. 

Recall when we patiently waited for a new music video to drop. All we knew was X artiste was going to premiere their newest video on Y channel at Z o’clock and you had to be in front of a TV to witness it. I remember bolting home after school every single day to watch TRL, 106 & Park and Rap City just to see these videos.  Advancements in technology made that a thing of the past. The excitement isn’t there anymore.

Finally, try explaining dial-up internet to a member of Generation Z. Watch how bewildered they look when you tell them that if your mom got a phone call, your connection died. Remember that weird sound it made? Oh, my goodness!

I’m grateful for technology. Here’s why:

• Access to information is ridiculously easy.
• News travels faster.
• Communication barriers are severely destroyed.
• Technology inspires us to create.
• We save so much time now that technology has improved (online bill payment, shopping, banking, etc).
• It narrows the cultural gap.
• Technology provides for an increase in productivity in businesses.
• Technology gave us Google Maps and many other navigational tools so we don’t get lost anymore!
• It simplifies various accounting related tasks.
• Technology provides an endless source of entertainment.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some disadvantages of technology. 

• Technology promotes a sedentary lifestyle.
• It encourages social retardation.
• We spend so much time staring at screens these days, which affects our vision.
• Technology makes it so easy for fake news to spread.
• Threats to privacy and security are at all time high.
• Job loss in certain industries.

Those are my two cents for the day. Technology is great and I’m grateful for it.

Your turn.

What are you grateful for? 

I hope you could relate to today’s post. Thank you for reading.

Love,

Nell.