On the continuum of digital savvy, I think I sit on the higher end of knowledge for someone my age. When my memories of simpler days haunt me, I sometimes need to do a course-correct and think about all the innovations that have made our lives so much easier (minus the learning curve). As a graphic designer, I can remember the frustration of a clogged Rapidograph when trying to draw a simple shape, or having to hire an illustrator to clean up a photo with their airbrush. No one can argue that desktop publishing and Photoshop have made designer’s lives infinitely better.
Musicians and djs know this as well. Remember how records skipped? Enter Tractor. Fighting to get recording contracts? Your computer is now an amazing recording studio, filled with the latest synths, and you can release your own album on your terms.
There are very few areas of our lives today that haven’t been improved by digital technology. But I think many of us out there long for the days when we had to phone a friend, rather than text. Meet up with a client instead of sending off an email, get real feedback at a craft show, rather than sending our ideas into the cybersphere. I prefer drawing and painting rather than working in Illustrator, but I also prefer writing on my laptop, rather than longhand. Apparently, handwriting is being phased out of schools, but coloring books are the newest trend for adults!
According to an article I read recently, books are making a comeback, with even the millennials turning away from Kindles and the like. Vinyl records are also making a comeback for many djays and audiophiles who prefer their sound quality. And it does seem there are at least three craft shows every weekend in this town.
I love seeing the homesteading movement. Wow, spinning wool, weaving blankets, and building houses out of mud! Chickens and gardens in our backyard! Who knew!
I didn’t even think these things existed anymore. And the funny thing is, it’s the millennials who are leading this trend, but doing it in a unique way that incorporates technology.
For myself, I want to come back to real human connections, instead of “followers,” and “friends”. Learn from my elders and share my knowledge with younger generations. I want a community that feels real and supports each other. Yet I know, as I sit here writing this, that I need all this tech to do so. What a dilemma!
Technology has the potential to make our lives both fuller and conversely, emptier. I guess it comes down to how we use it. Right now I am in hanging out cyberspace, working hard to get sales on my Etsy shop. And talking to you, thanks for listening!
Happy Cyber Monday! By the way, message me if you want to meet for coffee!