A Dilapidated Defense of Dependency

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 I never knew that slavery and addiction could be so satisfying. Recently on a social media website, one of the addicted slaves made some startling comparisons that need some sincere comments. Claiming that our fears about our youth being too “dependent” on technology, and that those fears were nothing but “BS” our dependent youth made the following arguments:

His first point was that we use automobiles to travel instead of horses and buggies. Yes, that is true, but the Model T Ford began production in 1908. His second point is we don’t use outhouses to go to the bathroom. Yes, that is true, but the flushing-rim toilet was introduced in 1824. His third point is we don’t use typewriters to write comments. Yes, that is true, but typewriters were invented in 1868. His fourth point is we don’t heat water for our bath on the stove. Yes, that is true, but water heaters were patented in 1889. His closing statement was, “Do you see what I am getting at?”

Yes, I see what he was getting at, (including his poor grammar ending a sentence with a preposition) and his point was that apparently it is a valid argument to compare technology from centuries ago with the present technology. My professor whose essay tests frequently asked to compare and contrast concepts would have given him a failing grade.  None of the inventions this person mentioned can generate information, they only serve in a physical perspective.   

Why stop there? Don’t use rocks to pound nails, use a hammer.

technology dependency

See there, just look at how dependent we are on technology nowadays. Our young people don’t need to know anything about history when all of those facts can be found on the internet. Following looking up history instead of reading and understanding it, the critical thinking skills we consider so important are just not necessary today, and the addicted slave made our point for us; if somewhat foolishly on his part.

I saw the first calculator some time ago; it was very basic and cost almost two-hundred dollars. For slightly half of the price of an original Texas Instrument calculator, you can now buy a graphing calculator, not to mention all of the math that can be programmed into an  iPhone.

Why bother being able to calculate in your head the sales tax on your latest purchase? Why bother being able to figure your gas mileage on your car? Why bother being able to determine what percent your gas bill is of your monthly expenses? When software can generate your term paper, or write your letters for you, produce any fact you wish, calculate any formula you need, why, indeed, would you bother learning anything at all? That’s it, no need for school, no need for learning, just rely on the available technology. If the power goes out, or your battery goes dead, well, then, you will just have to wait until the power comes back on, or whenever you can recharge your battery.

The ability to compare things comes with the ability to understand things, and that comprehension comes with learning. Much of our youth think that we should try socialism, and this attitude that we should try socialism isn’t just those in middle school, it has made its way into our legislature. The young American socialists do not understand the economics nor the history of socialism, and their lack of understanding poses a threat to their freedom as well as the freedom and success of our republic. Whether socialism has been tried and miserably failed is apparently an historical and economic fact not worth knowing, along with any other facts that only the old people consider important. The tech-dependent slaves are blessed with a naiveté that will conclude with expensive lessons and considerable misery for them.

technology dependency

But wait. There are things worth learning to our tech-dependent youth. It is important to our youth that they understand how to get a higher score on Candy Crush, Fortnite, or Clash of Clans. Just so you understand that our young people are setting their priorities straight. They while away their hours as the tech giants rake in billions of dollars. They give away personal information while social media sells every scrap of information to advertisers, earning them billions. They do not understand the rights and privileges of our democracy, and willingly capitulate privacy for convenience.

They profess to abhor the slavery of past centuries, all the while surrendering their privacy and enclosing their options as individuals and to society as a whole. The slave masters of the twenty-first century are far more cunning than those of the past. But it is the elders who, time and again, are told that they do not understand, as their voices fade into history.

That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is most important of all the lessons of history.”- Aldous Huxley


Jeffrey Neil Jackson

Jeffrey Neil Jackson is an
Educator & Literary Mercenary

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