I asked myself this question and a lot of things came to my mind. True, the world revolved and life went on normally before internet became a byword. Scientists were able to invent gadgets and equipment that made life easier for all of us. Einstein gave us the light bulb. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. A lot of things were invented that made a great impact to civilization but nothing compares to the advent of digital technology.
When I was in my teens, my family shared one black and white television set in the living room. All of us had our favorite TV show but we had to follow a schedule in watching. That way, everyone was given a chance to watch his TV show given the limited number of TV channels to choose from. There was no cable then. This situation was changed when my father brought home our second TV set, this time a color television unit but still no cable.
One of the things that digital technology brought that made a major impact on my life is the mobile phone. I grew up sharing our PLDT landline with a neighbor, in short, we had a partyline. I cannot use the phone whenever I want to. I had to wait for my neighbor to put down his phone before I can use it. That was a cause of irritation between us neighbors. Twenty years or so after, the situation is completely different. Not only do I have a landline telephone, I have three mobile phones in my bag, my major phone Smart, Sun used for calling my employees and a wireless landline. It’s just incredible and amazing.
Digital technology has brought convenience and speed to our daily chores. Nowadays, we reheat our pre-cooked meals in the microwave oven, type our correspondences using the computer, conduct business using emails, bank and buy online, call or send SMS using the mobile phone. Everything is done through the click of a finger. We’ve really gone a long way. What if we decide to give up digital technology even for a week? For a digital immigrant like me, life will go on albeit slowly. I will feel isolated as I can’t network with my loved ones and friends who are on the other side of the globe. I will drag myself to the bank to pay my bills or just to get my account balance. It will be a big inconvenience. I can still do things that have to be done except that it will take more time and effort to accomplish them.
I think the crucial question is if I am willing to give up digital technology.
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