How To Deal With The Tyranny Of Technology

The photo above really should be of Hercules fighting the Hydra because that is a more accurate description of how I feel right now. I am batting a seven headed beast called technology and every time I think I have won the battle a new head rises from the depths determined to take a bite out of my butt.

Maybe it is because I made a mistake and shouted at the computer, “is that the best you have got” and the universe decided that it is on.
The battle between technology and I has been raging for quite some time now and though I want to say I have given as good as I have gotten I can’t really do that because the electronic beasties have no feelings.

No fear, no worries nor question of worth, valor or might plague any of these monstrosities while I sit here and wonder if I am going to figure out how to fix the multiple issues with the computer and the car on my own or if I am going to have call down the thunder called opening the wallet to fix these things.

Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness

Money may not buy happiness but it does help fund more immediate solutions to the challenges posed by technical issues.

My laptop has been giving me issues for quite some time and though I have reformatted the hard drives and started over twice it still doesn’t wish to work as it should and this is exactly where the tyranny of technology comes into play.

When it doesn’t work properly I waste countless hours in which I could otherwise be productive doing things for my professional and personal worlds. Instead of inventing technologies that will bring peace and harmony to the universe I wade into battle with the Borg and try not to be assimilated into the collective.

Instead of writing the kind of novel that makes you weep with joy and wonder why it took you so long to discover my wonderful words I issue an endless stream of invectives that I hope will not lead people to blame Jane Austen for Mediocre Writing.

Really, I want to focus on the kind of writing that leads to my inclusion on lists like this but instead I wind up weeping on the floor of my apartment begging for sanctuary.

Ok, I just lied I have never wept on the floor of any apartment and begged for sanctuary. Hell, anyone who really knows me that I am too damn stubborn to just give up.

Horses Cost Money

In the good old days of my youth automobiles were simple creatures to work upon. They were a hunk of metal that enclosed an engine. Open the hood and you would find a relatively simple to work upon combustion engine.

But those days are long gone and now the tyranny of technology mandates that some work can’t be done without the benefits of additional technological tools. So being of sound mind and body I figured that living in Texas presented an easy solution to the automotive challenges I faced.

Get a horse.

Why not. I have the hat, shirt, belt, jeans and boots. Give me a horse and I don’t care if the A/C isn’t working.

But horses cost money. You might not know this but you can’t just pick one up at the corner convenience store. Hell the person behind the corner might be from India or cleveland and not know a damn thing about horses.

And did I mention how much it costs to feed a horse. Hell, they eat more than my pre-teen son and his friends and trust me those boys can eat.

If I Were Hercules

I am blessed with a lot of natural strength but unlike Hercules I am not the son of a God (sorry mom and dad) so I can’t depend on being stronger and tougher than everyone I meet.

Although if we really want to be honest Hercules got himself into a lot of trouble so strength isn’t all it is made out to be.

But it doesn’t mean that sometimes I don’t want to tear the computer into two pieces and then go kill a lion or two. That might be kind of fun (dear PETA I am not serious, go haunt another blog) and it would help blow off some steam.

The Social Media/PR Connection

This is the time in this post where it would be nice to tell you about how Apple/Dell/HP/Sony read my post and decided that it would be wonderful to simply provide me with a new laptop turning this post into a great PR/Marketing/Social Media tale.

However that didn’t happen so we’ll have to cross our fingers and hope that it magically might or that I figure out how to make this laptop work the way it should so that simple tasks don’t take a ridiculous amount of time to do.

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By Joshua Wilner

Hi, I am Josh Wilner and I am happy that you have decided to visit my corner of cyberspace. I am a writer/marketer/friend and family man. My professional background includes more than twenty years in working with businesses to help them do a better job of connecting with their existing and prospective customers. More specifically I have worked with companies of all sizes from the Fortune 500 to the new start up to help them build, develop and grow their social media and marketing plans. I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy music, reading, writing, playing sports and laughing.

8 comments

  1. It’s interesting, a lot of us seem to be going through this love-hate relationship with technology right now. I wonder if that’s a sign of the times, or just an inevitable step in the relationship one has with technology and social media…

    Thank you for the link back, Jack!

    Reply
  2. Geoff Livingston – Washington, DC – A digital marketing pioneer and social fundraiser, I help brands and nonprofits launch products, enact corporate initiatives, and raise money. In addition to my works for brands, I wrote three books on social media and marketing, including Welcome to the Fifth Estate, and have spoken at numerous national and international marketing conferences. I started and sold social media boutique Livingston Communications (2009). Projects I have worked on won awards from the Society of New Communications Research, the American Marketing Association, the International Association of Business Communicators, MarketingProfs, and an Axiom Award. The social fundraising projects I have worked on have raised more than $225 million online.
    Geoff Livingston says:

    It’s rare that I read a post about books and tell someone to go read a completely different book, but… Have you read C.C. Chapman’s Amazing Things Will Happen? The only one stopping you, the only thing stopping you from writing what you want is you. The tyranny of the social web is largely imagines. You can write what you want if you are willing to let go…

    Hope you find a new horse soon!

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Hi Geoff,

      I haven’t read C.C’s book yet, but I have heard good things about it. Sounds like I should pick up a copy.

      Reply

  3. Interesting aspects of the technocratic/consumer society of the 21st century, although I’m still a huge fan of high-tech gadgets:) of course, an own horse would be great as well:)

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Hi Manuela,

      I do like high tech gadgets, but sometimes they just frustrate me.

      Reply

  4. Technology. Tell me about it. I’ve been trying to isolate a problem with a system controller for months. I took my computer to the store but those guys just run diagnostics on it and tell me they can’t find anything. Big help, guys. In the meantime, I’m stuck with a desktop subject to hard hangs every once in a while. For no apparent reason. I think it’s something to do with the motherboard but I can’t be sure.

    Alas, I cannot buy a horse to replace my computer. It’s a good thing I have a laptop to fall back on.

    And you know what else is tyrannical? The move toward monolithic devices where you can’t change the components you like. That’s what always appealed to me about desktops; you can buy one ready to work off the shelf but you can easily swap components if you’ve got better ones – new motherboards, hard disks, card readers, you name it. But the consumer market at large doesn’t seem to want that – they prefer devices whose batteries they can’t even change on their own, for crying out loud. That’s forgoing a lot of power on the part of the consumer. And giving it away to companies who, like it or not, don’t care about you. If they “delight” you, it’s only because they want more of your dollars.

    Ah, technology. Can’t live with it, can’t live without it.

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Hi John,

      That is a mouthful but it includes a whole lot of truth. I have always enjoyed buying tech that can be “improved” by adding more memory/power what have you.

      I don’t like having things that have batteries that are locked up where I can’t get at them. If it come with a bad battery what am I supposed to do. I like having the option to go out and buy a replacement battery, not a phone.

      I suppose if the computer goes we can always shoot it just as we would do with a sick horse but…

      Reply

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