Digital technology devices support a ‘way’ – and are of a world - that is quick; one that moves to order and re-order everything and everyone. Even every thought. ‘Everything’ can be captured into digital technology. People busy themselves with digital technology devices.
One observation is that digital technology – and from here, t/Technology – encourages mindlessness, or a lack of thinking. Of course, this is an observation that needs to be grounded and confirmed in the phenomenon (this very ‘blog’ is an example). One does come across references to it and all the time. Here is one in regards to typerwriters and digital word processing software supported on electronic hardware.
“You type so much quicker than you can think on a computer,” Ms. Kowalski said. “On a typewriter, you have to think.” She and Ms. Brady began their vintage typewriter business last April. So far, they have refurbished and sold more than 70 machines, many to first-time users. Their slogan? “Unplug and reconnect.”[1]
The observation is that digitial technology fosters a rapid spilling forth of jibber-jabber, organizes it and sends it forth as commentary. Thinking is secondary or gets sidetracked all together. Whole, coherent thoughts are lost or unformulated. The skill of doing so fades away (and thinking is a skill, too). An entire commentary matrix arises that makes ordinary journalism seem like literature. Literature fades away. The ‘fading away’ is lamentable when what fades is not replaced and there is a lack, which is felt and percieved, and a hollowness whose echo chills every person who is sensible to the seriousness of the condition. The feeling is saddness. Saddness can go in many directions.
1 Jessica Bruder, “Click, Clack, Ding! Sigh …”, The New York Times, 31:3 2011. It is interesting to note that many ‘critiques’ of contemporay or modern culture (i.e. Western or Technical) took the typewriter (i.e. mechanical writing) as their example of a technological device, or, better, a mechanical device for technological being, that would be very likely to encourage poor thinking and ‘business’. Thinking needs to be grounded and supported and it is this way of supporting that can be harmful or helpful to the task of thinking. Much like the very ordinary observation that certain tools are better for the task at hand then others. It is these tools – and not those tools - that enable certain craftsman to become masters.









