Can you feel it? Sure seems like everyone is... this strange apprehension... this sense that all is not right in the world. Even the kids are reacting- it is unlike anything I've seen or felt before, but it is not entirely ominous. In fact, it feels like fundamental change. We are changing... as a people, as a species, as a world... and we are doing it quickly- so quickly, I think we can actually feel the change.
I remember the first time I read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells- when he goes forward- far forward into the future and the people have become like sheep- happy grazing sheep (who are eventually used for food). I've been thinking about that book lately. I've also been thinking about the film Wall-E... people love their technology and turn into slumbering slugs. These visions of the future seem too familiar... too possible. And yet, I continually am surprised by how much good can come from our "new" world if channeled well.
Did you know that texting is actually allowing kids to be more honest with each other? It is almost like we are returning to the days of letter writing- when we could spill our thoughts out with care and allow our readers to ingest our thoughts without interruption... I'm sure it isn't that way for everyone, but instead of fighting the system, and the new, we might want to look at what is good in it.
We are changing- but we have to be active in the change rather than fight it, don't we? Doesn't history tell us that change will come regardless? Just maybe we could become excited by this apprehension... this feeling... maybe we could embrace it and move with it- nobody complains about giving up typewriters and correction fluid for word processors...
So true, in the library world we're really having to embrace the change. We have had so many long discussions about the good that can come out of technology vs. the bad. It's quite interesting.
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