Being Human In The Digital World

 In my opinion, the human race is doomed. Digital representations of our flesh and in the blood ancestors surround us at every turn. While at the grocery store, the friendly smile from the cashier who used to run the cash register has been replaced by a scan your own upgrade which welcomes me with a loud beep and a flashing error when my newspaper has not been recognized by it's technically sophisticated scanner. Perhaps it is my fault though, I am a bit old school. You see, reading a newspaper which used to be a task that humans would enjoy with breakfast or over dinner, sometimes even while in the bathroom was such an everyday process that they had a service where a little human boy or girl would hand deliver the newspaper to your home daily. Now a days, we have online news, sent directly to our cell phones and tablets. Such space age devices that would seem so at home on the set of Star Wars or some other sci-fi film.

 Another great example of being human in the digital age could be seen in the photo below.

I am a father of 4, from the ages of 12 all the way up to 19 and I showed this photo to my children. 3 of them looked puzzled, my 12 year old son thought it was a tardis from Dr. Who. While I am not exactly sure what that is, I do know that he is wrong! While explaining to my children how when I was a child in the 80's, we had the dull lives of waiting until we arrived back home to talk on the phone and check for messages. We received letters in the mail, hand delivered by our mailman, whom we knew on a first named basis (mine was named Fred). This may be the start to a major problem in society, but what do I know?

 As I stated above, I am the father of 4, 3 boys and a teenage girl. With the exception of my daughter, who I believe was quite possibly born with her cell phone attached to her head in some way, none of my children are very telephone friendly. Sure they can text a novel, blindfolded. With one hand. However, if I ask them to use the phone for it's true purpose, to make an actual phone call..... Lets just say that if I need 911, I am doomed. I recall one day when my son went to call his girlfriend. This was a few years back, however it remains quite relative to the story and point I am trying to make. Anyway, he goes to call his girlfriend at the time and keeps claiming that the phone is busy. This went on for hours. When I finally asked him to try  again, he said " see dad, listen it's busy." Of course the sound he was hearing, the sound he thought was the bust signal that we all remember from our youth, was indeed a DIAL TONE!!!! Yes I repeat, a dial tone!

 Like I stated, we are doomed!