Someone posted to my FB wall a picture of a car with a gear shift, on the steering wheel. Times, like gears, have changed. I learned to drive on the proverbial “stick shift.” Actually I am told that many people, who have trouble learning to drive with automatics, do better on a stick shift. The idea being, if all else fails, you just let go of everything and the car stalls!!
There is a lot to be said for progress, but there is also a lot to be said for knowing the basics. I will never know the basics of the internet or computers, because, although I grew up with DOS and Edlin, I did not grow up with Binary and Fortran. My brother-in-law worked in computers in the early ’60s and in fact culminated his career by assisting the Vatican in putting their library on-line. He grew up with the early computer languages and has problems with those who program in secondary languages without knowing the primary ones.
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| Microwave |
But I digress, I have posted a few blogs lately about diminishing values. The watering down of what was and the acceptance of what will be, if we don’t fight against this erosion. I am not a great reactionary and I know that progress means giving up somethings in favour of others. However, we must be vigilant in determining, what we are losing, in exchange for seeming progress.
Enter the “stick shift.” Certainly for some the automatic transmission is not only a convenience, but also, a solution, especially for those who have trouble coordinating foot, clutch, gear and brain to get from A to B. The problem, though, is that there is a great danger in accepting the “automatic shift” solution to everything that permeates our daily lives.
Some company makes it easy to do “something” and we say “Oh wow” this is great, without ever asking what have we lost. There is progress and then there is blind acceptance. By all means drive an automatic, just make sure that you know, who is in control!!
The picture? The microwave, when it was first introduced, seemed like an amazing convenience. Now some consider it a health hazard.
Have an easy day!!