Internet Dependency

Everyone knows, subconsciously, that we, particularly Americans, are becoming more and more dependent upon technology. You hear people say “Oh, I couldn’t live without my cell phone,” and most people wouldn’t know what to do if they couldn’t hop in their car and drive five minutes to the grocery store to pick up a pack of batteries for their electric razor or a 75 watt light bulb for their kitchen light.

I have personally prided myself on not becoming a slave to technology, or at least as much of a slave as my peers. When the iTouch came out, I didn’t run out and buy it. In fact, I downgraded from an iPod to a simple 2G Sony mp3 player when my iPod kept breaking because I was so fed up with “technology.” I am certainly not a slave to my cell phone, considering I have owned one for such a short time, I haven’t even paid the bill on it yet, I just purchased my first digital alarm clock this year (and it has no features fancier than a snooze button), and my watch dates back to 1998. On top of all of this, I am actually excited to be using public transportation here in New York City, have never owned my own car, and actually prefer walking places than biking to them (that’s a bit extreme, but I just don’t like biking very much).

However.

Recently, I have discovered just how dependent I am on one particular facet of technology: the internet. I am 100% addicted to the internet. I simply use it for so much! I use it for every means of communication, from e-mail to Facebook; for banking transactions and statement monitoring; and for research research research! Every time I need to know something, my first reaction is “Google it!”

I say all of this in light of the fact that, currently, I have no internet in my dorm room at Columbia University. This is not to say that there is no internet access in the room; my computer just does not accept it. I seem to have the worst luck with internet and computers—this same thing happened at Rochester last semester. Part of me just wants to buy a new computer, but I feel that that would make me the ultimate slave to technology and the “American way.” We are such wasteful, lazy people. Really, if I were a decent conservationist and stuck to my morals, I would put in the time and find a way to fix the problem. The problem is that I don’t want to put in the time; I just want the issue resolved NOW. I want internet. Now!

Sometimes, I am so darned American.