Is Technology Ruining Our Lives?

Growing up my family had dial up internet. (Yes, there was a time when Wi-Fi was non-existent.) There was exactly one computer in the house that was the family computer and my brother and I had e-mail accounts, closely monitored by our parents. We weren’t allowed to use the computer without permission or during the school week unless we had an assignment or project that needed to be done. There was no social media. No smart phones. No texting. And no way of anyone being able to have multiple ways of being able to get in touch with you or clock your moves. I remember that time (early through late 90s) being much more peaceful.

These days? There’s practically technology almost, everywhere. People aren’t as present as they used to be. Most people seem so “plugged in” that they’re often out of touch with reality. Others have meltdowns and fall into comparison traps after scrolling through their social media feeds, and a lot of people are definitely way more impatient.

I don’t believe technology is evil, however, I believe it’s a great source of strain, pressure, and addiction for many, many people. Pro’s like, being able to keep in touch with others, stream television shows and movies at one’s leisure and the option to obtain tickets for events and travel, and being able to do online shopping are nice, but the con’s such as distractions, comparisons, and the lack of being present are things that can prompt the question:

Is technology ruining our lives?

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Men have become tools of their tools…”

Have we?

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

Thoughts From a Black Educator: Qualified, Credentialed, and Constantly Undermined

I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...

The Day I Made A Will

When I was a teenager, I remember writing a list of my greatest fears. One of the things I listed was death. Looking back, it was an interesting item to list because inevitably, death is something each of us will face at some point in our lives. Even though it’s no longer a fear of mine, I understand why and how it’s not a comfortable thing for everyone to navigate. But regardless, this past summer I completed a detailed will. I signed it, had witnesses sign it, and got it notarized. As I was getting everything done, one of the witnesses looked at me and said, “You know, it’s just that you’re so young…” I’ve learned that death doesn’t care how young or how old you are. You can be five, fifteen, thirty, or fifty, and it’s still something that happens. Completing my will wasn’t scary. It gave me peace of mind having documentation in place stating my detailed directives and requests. A year ago, I had one of my kidneys removed. It was a surgery that came with risks that were presented cle...

Making Waves