The guilt of technology. You ARE to blame.

September 16, 2009

Computers, smart phones, talking GPS, time-zone-alert alarm clocks and heating systems that self-adjust are only a few of the pieces of technology that allow us geeks to stockpile guilt in heretofore unheard of amounts.

While our tech is presumably being efficient and completing tasks while we eat, sleep, code, chat or spend time away from our homes and desks, our minds are busy beating our souls into submission.

According to Freud, the superego uses guilt and self-reproach as its primary means of enforcement for internalized rules. If you don’t achieve a goal, your mind takes it out on you.

Worse, if you give your technology permission to complete a task and it fails, you’re doubly to blame. Once for trusting in technology (an iffy proposition at best because the robots will soon kill us all with lasers) and a second time because you’ll have to do the work yourself in a more responsible way.

Take video production, for instance. No matter how great a processor your computer has, it takes about 14Million hours to process a snippet of HD video. So, most people do the Ron Popeil and “set it and forget it.”

That only works never. Because the second you’re out of sight of the computer, the program realizes it needs you click OK on some button to continue the interminable process.

Is there a solution to how closely we’ve tied our souls to technology’s wins and losses? Sure, don’t do it. Stop blaming the tech.

I mean you should take credit for everything you do, whether it’s tech-assisted or not. Don’t get hung up on the processing power of your PC or the inability of your phone to play FourSquare or the woman on the GPS who allows you to drive into a sand pit.

We’re products of a society that allows everyone to blame others for their plight. Don’t buy into that and don’t bring tech tools into the game either. If you’re smart enough to stuff a SIM card into an iPhone or download a song or even send an email, you’re qualified enough to take the blame for throwing out your photo library, deleting that one email you needed, setting the heat in the house to work during the day instead of night, or forgetting to back up your computer.

I don’t want to hear your whining or your blaming or your shame. Technology is just a tool. Learn how to use it or get out of the way.

Keep reading!