Technology is in the Toilets.

Tech-yes

or

tech-no?

I realize how bad that was, but I just had to do that to enter into the topic about technology because it’s always the hot topic in conversations. We either talk about how advanced it has become in this modern world or we are speculating about our futures. It’s also no surprise how much we depend on technological devices. I mean, it’s everywhere.

Funny enough, automatic toilets and sinks are what sparked this blog post.

So odd, but it’s true! More often than not, I’ve gotten used to automatic toilets that flush in most restaurants or other public areas. Automatic paper towel dispensers are wonderful and I can’t complain too much about them.

Yet, I find myself a bit frustrated with toilets the most. Sometimes, they flush whenever I haven’t even done my business yet! As it flushes without me properly using it, I will then mentally calculate the waste of that flush and water that was completely out of my control. As always, I conclude it to be wasteful.

The other times, I’ll panic slightly whenever the censor doesn’t recognize my movement to know that it’s actually time to flush! Of course, most toilets work just as well as they’re supposed to. It seems a bit silly to rant about something that we have access to, which are all first world problems and minor occurrences, but they shouldn’t be that faulty with the advances of technology being made nowadays, right? Most of the time, I’d rather just flush on my own than have the sensor!

Now, I’ll rant about sinks for a couple of paragraphs

I’m probably just being silly altogether, but it’s a thought. What aggravates me the most are the sink faucets where you have to push down the head of the faucet. I went into a Food City where you had to do this, and the nozzle wouldn’t stay down for more than three seconds before I had to turn it back on! What’s the point in that if one of my hands has to hold the nozzle to get it to properly work!? It must have been defected because it shouldn’t function like that… right?

Anyways, whenever I do go into establishments and find the regular fixtures, I feel a small hint of annoyance whenever a toilet doesn’t flush automatically. Then, I’m a little ashamed of myself for being irritated by this.

Are we too dependent on technology — so much that we can’t simply do a simple task as flush a toilet on our own?! I guess it’s a positive for safety and health by eliminating us having to touch the surfaces, but I never touched them anyway since I was a huge germaphobe back then.

Cell Phone Accessibility

Following this rabbit hole thought, I pondered about moments in time before cell phones; it’s interesting to think about how people could manage their days without the distraction of a phone. Not only are cell phones a way for us to have contact at every minute of the day, but we tend to rely on them for GPS purposes as well.

Just thinking back to having a map as my guide, I think I’d be up for that, really. I will admit, it doesn’t stress me out to get lost. I’m the one who would just drive around for however many hours it takes to reach my destination. I’ll get there somewhere!

I also consider how harmful and helpful technology is when it comes to dating. I remember reading stories and snippets of people posting online that would go crazy if the person has been online, say, 20 minutes ago, but hasn’t replied to them and it’s been 30 minutes — that’s a bit much, and quite unhealthy to obsess about.

I was never like this in a relationship because that’s just unnecessary. I figured that the person would reply to me whenever he could throughout the day. I’d speculate how those couples before cell phones dated. Did they wonder what their significant other was doing throughout the day, rather than catching glimpses of their day on social media stories?

It’s strange to put myself in that perspective, of not having 24/7 access to a phone, basically. That sounds bad, yes. I actually mean how I’m used to the convenience of having someone contact me at any time. I’d rather choose to have a phone for emergencies. Without one, it heightens a certain fear and worry in case something bad did happen to me and I wouldn’t have any contact to let someone know if there was an accident.

Life Without technology: Improvement?

I feel as if dating without phones or technological access, perhaps, strengthens true relationships. It requires more effort in getting to know the other person, and making a larger effort to call someone on a landline to talk about one another’s day. I like having this easy accessibility to my person because if I have exciting news to share whenever I’m out in public, I could immediately call and tell someone about it within minutes and let the excitement bubble over even more!

I can only imagine back then what it was like to just catch up with one another a few hours at a time throughout the day. Plus, it’s scary thought of having a parent answer the phone and you’d have to ask for the person you want to talk to! I think I did this in middle school, but email and caller ID was a thing, so not technically the same.

I admit to being a sap for the mushy Facebook or Instagram posts; it’s really the little things like those to brighten a bad day. On the other hand, I’ll romanticize a bit more and think about old fashioned love letters. Now, that’s one of my favorite ways to communicate.

Forget the uses of Snapchat and Instagram that allow us to post stories. Some even use this as evidence that a significant other is where s/he said s/he’d be. When chatting back and forth on a landline, you’d just have to take the person’s word that s/he would be at this place or that place later. It definitely allowed room for the couples to truly test out their relationship by going off wherever they please. There’s an even bigger trust knowing that the other person is remaining faithful when apart.

Using technology Today

If the relationship is in the midst of crumbling, then it just hurts the other person in the relationship if the significant other is caught going out and hurting the other person. Sometimes technology is used as an outlet way too much, and I’ve caught myself checking social media or doing something on my phone while Stephen is driving or when we’re at a restaurant. I don’t want to be that person.

Really, those people online shouldn’t be the focus whenever I’m out to dinner and having quality time with Stephen. Not that my online connections aren’t important, but in this context, they really shouldn’t be my focus.

In my past experience of working in a restaurant, I liked to pretend that I could estimate how long a couple has been together because the amount of time they both are spending on their phones and not with one another. After seeing multiple tables do this, I’ve became more aware of when I’m on my phone and not paying as much attention to Stephen as I should be. So, I’m working on being on my phone even less.

Writing and Technology

It’s also one reason why I still like to write out my poems and ideas. I didn’t want to be seen as someone engrossed in her phone when I am actually writing. Plus, there’s just something magical about using old fashion pen and paper. It’s also a visible way to see my idea work itself on the page with the amount of scribbles and pressure I put on the pen. I love the messiness of the process of a poem if I’ve scribbled out a few lines that didn’t seem to fit like I wanted it to.

Anyways, this is where my train of thought has gone lately, haha. I started off with something random and aggravating as an automatic toilet that flushes, merely a small blip within this technological world that is continuing to progress. I actually did create another post that rants about technological features in cars, which you can find here if you want to read more of a technology rant, haha.

Don’t get me wrong, I love how technology has advanced to where it is now with all these cool features, but I’m afraid that we aren’t independent from it anymore. Some say that kids are losing their imagination when being too engrossed by iPads and phones. Losing our imagination is where I want to draw the line. We can’t lose that uniqueness about ourselves.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful so far! Anyone else experience this love/hate relationship with technology?