Antithesis

I hate to be one to spoil the grieving party, but I have to say, this whole Steve Jobs thing doesn't really sadden me. The first thing I thought was "THE DEATH OF APPLE! HOORAY!!" Ok, so I should preface this post by stating that's it's sad for anyone to lose a family member to any horrible disease. That being said, I don't get what all the hype is about.

This is how I get every time someone famous dies. It's like the whole world knew this person and their passing is the worst thing ever. Remember when Michael Jackson died, and people were balling their eyes out and holding long candlelight vigils for a possible child molester? Yep, didn't get that. I'm not one to follow celebrities. I just don't get what all the fuss is about. We choose to spend a lot of time figuring out every minute detail of another person's life who we've never met and probably will never meet. This, in turn, allows us to focus on everything BUT the physical people in our actual life. I understand death is a hard pill for most to swallow, but when people get more upset over a middle-aged man who possibly gave us too much technology than their grandma, there's a big issue there. While on the phone with my mom last night, we were discussing the death of Steve Jobs. She mentioned that she felt like she needed to call and console my brother, one of the biggest Apple advocates I know. What?! I hope she didn't do that. I know for many they look at the impact he's made in the technological world. But what I'd like to ask all of you is were these "advances" necessary? Do they add great value to life? And this is where I differ from about 99% of the human race. I don't see Steve Jobs as some computer god. I see him as someone leading to the demise of community and true human relationships.

Riiiiight. You're all thinking. This from a girl who is writing all of this on a computer to connect with people thousands of miles away via the internet. Sure, you hate technology, you hypocrite. I understand those sentiments. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with technology. I choose not to own any Apple products. I choose not to buy into the "must have new gadget/device/software" craze that our technologically "advanced" society buys into. I just won't. Simple living isn't about finding the easiest way to do everything. It's about finding how you can live on much less, even technologically, and live a more meaningful life. One full of real human relationships where you actually meet people in person and talk not through a screen. You know, like the good ol' days. It's hard because for my generation, the internet is about one of the only ways we know how to connect with the outside world. That's pretty sad. It's not to say that I don't enjoy connecting with people from around the world because that is a true bonus. But I spend so much time doing just that when the real people in my life could possibly use some attention. Even The Hubs has major issues with how technology uses his time. He is rarely found without his Ipod Touch within reach. It's sad and depressing as his wife to have to beg him to put it down, so we can have quality human interaction.

What I'm finding is that people don't want to put down their virtual connections to create real ones. Why? What's the importance of having real people in your life when you can stare at a screen all day and envision these "perfect" people you are e-connecting with? And there's the answer. Reality is too harsh a mistress. It's easier to talk to people when we get to make up their voice, sometimes how they look, assume how they act and spend their days, and thus create these avatars, so to speak, of perfect friends and lovers. The internet allows the imagination to run so rampant that the desire for true human connections is dwindling every second of every day. Even now as I sit here writing this, I know I love my virtual friends and readers, but I'd much rather have the love and time of my husband and family. (That's not to say I don't admire and deeply appreciate everyone venturing here...just, well, you know the whole unrequited love thing is hard).

Here is sit, looking at the hypocrite in the mirror trying to decide her next move. Leave the virtual world and support from it? Delve into real, in-person relationships? Or try and find a balance between the two because technology is what it is these days, so if you can't beat them, join them?

No answer yet. As you can tell this connectivity challenge is having many unintended thoughts permeating my mind, eagerly awaiting to be delicately and deliberately typed into a jumble of random ramblings. Something to think about at least.