Technotopia

Not much has happened since my last update, so I thought I would post something a little different this week. I hope you enjoy reading it!

In the past few weeks, I have accrued a great deal of new technology in my life. It started with an invitation to be a part of Google Wave. Google is attempting to use Wave as a new way of communicating online, combining the concepts of email, instant messaging, blogging, online collaboration, and a variety of other internet technologies into a single tool. It promises (at least, Google wants to promise) that it'll be the next great thing in using the internet since it'll let people collaborate simultaneously. Interesting.

Later that same week, I got a new cell phone. My old one was pretty much dead; wouldn't always answer calls, had problems with the screen, and would occasionally decided to reboot and not get any signal. I went with my family to the Verizon store to see what they had available as a replacement (I was due for an upgrade), and was a little blown away with some of the options. Only one of the phones didn't have a camera on it. Many of them, including the extravagant new Droid phone, had touch screens. I had to actually search for one that didn't charge extra for having a full keyboard. I ended up with probably the least sophisticated one there, a simple flip phone. It had the camera, but no other frills.

Finally, as of last week, I am the proud new owner of an HP tablet PC. Tablet PCs have full touch screens, and this one allows for both finger (touch-based) and pen input on its screen. I can literally draw or write directly on the screen using either my fingers or the included tablet pen. It comes with Windows 7, which runs excellently so far and provides special features like gestures so that with a flick I can copy or paste items, scroll around the screen, or manipulate pictures. It's a really slick bit of hardware, and I'm still excited to see what it'll be able to do.

All of this new technology really made me think about the way that we as a culture think about innovation. I couldn't help, as I looked forward to experiencing these new acquisitions, that through them my life would become in some way better. I wouldn't be stuck any longer with a phone that turns itself off, with juggling 4 or 5 different types of online communication, with a slow and unreliable laptop. I would be more productive, quicker, less stressed, maybe even more satisfied with life. Technology was all I needed for my life to be better!

It sounds a little ridiculous when I put it like that, but I think in a lot of ways that is what our society has turned to. Science and technology are our saviors, and the future is where all of our dreams will finally be fulfilled. Because in the future, everything will be faster. Our green technology will help us cleanse the earth of any malady. Diseases will be cured. Everyone will have what they need as we get better at producing it, so there will be no more squabbling over resources. As Americans, we seem to be enabling ourselves to solve all of our problems, and there is no need for God to save us, because it seems like we'll make it alright without Him.

I really like my new tablet. My phone is great. Google Wave will be a fun experiment. But I'm far happier to know God - that He loves me and wants to care for me, that He has forgiven me and not just skirted around the issue of what's wrong in the world, and that even if I lose everything else, He'll still be there for me in the end. As we prepare for this coming Thanksgiving and for the Christmas season as well, I hope you all can be thankful for the way God has blessed you materially. But I hope that you will be filled with an even greater joy of God's love for you.

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
- Matthew 6:31-34