E-Peter Principle:
I really enjoy high quality sound reproduction. A few years ago I decided that I needed to upgrade my receiver to one which supports Dolby Digital Surround. I did my homework, and when the receiver I wanted was on sale, I made the purchase. I'm accustom to wiring components together, but this receiver required me to adjust and interconnect it in ways that had me baffled. Luckily, my nephew Patrick was to be in town about a week later, and he gladly took the task. The entire system was up and running in no time, with little effort on his part. Thanks for that again, Pat. My electronics waterloo repeated a few years later when it came time to set up my home computer wireless network. I felt out of the loop and a bit helpless.
Have you ever felt that way, charged with a task which overwhelms as I have described?
I'm sure most of you have at one time or another played basketball. H.O.R.S.E. perhaps? How would you feel if you were suddenly thrust into a one on one basketball game with Michael Jordon? Most everyone has played a round or two of miniature golf? You may have even tried your hand at the driving range. What if you had to play a skins game against Tiger Woods? (Pun intended) That's the feeling.
A co-worker of mine told me one morning that he had to get a new microwave because the light bulb burned out in his old one. I told him that he should just use the oven with out, what's the big deal? He replied, "I can't, aren't you listening?" "The bulb burned out,........ how is it going to cook the food!" (true story)
I sometimes try to unlock my front door, with the key fob from my Volkswagen. It doesn't work!
Amok Time: What happens when we try to use technology, but the result is contrary to what we thought it would do. I recently watched a man frantically waving his wet hand in front of a paper towel dispenser. I had to point out to him that "dude, you need to turn the handle'.
There are plenty on instances lately as some automobiles take on a life of their own, accelerating down highways and driveways at breakneck speeds. Another recently reported auto flaw involves the car suddenly turning left. Wow! Fortunately these events are infrequent.
Last week, as I sat in the drivers seat of my Volkswagen, the cell phone hooked to my belt dialed Sister M. E. Within 15 minutes I received a call from her making sure that everything was OK.
Follow the timeline of sound recording and playback in your lifetime. 78 rpm records, 33 rpm stereo lp's, reel to reel tape, 8 tracks, cassettes, compact disc's then mp3's. Each new technology exceeding all aspects of the previous.
So what do we do? Will this get worse? You betcha! Think of the innovations in your lifetime. Remember being an early adopter of technology? In a few short years you watched its transition to obsolescence.
Will man built the HAL 9000 in our lifetime?
When you comment on this post, tell a story on how technology passed you or someone else by.
Happy Easter!
