Is technology making our lives easier, or more complicated? by Vijaya Schartz

Sci-fi tells us where the technology is going in the Ancient Enemy series. Find these books and others from Vijaya HERE

We rely on technology so much these days, that the simplest hick-ups can ruin a perfectly good day... or week... and even a life. As a science fiction writer (among other genres) I love futuristic technology, but it sometimes gives me nightmares.

I remember  a long time ago someone saying "If cars were as unreliable as computers, no one would drive." Well, now computers drive our cars as well. Last summer, a Tesla on autopilot ran full speed into a semi, killing the non-driver. As much as we would like to think technology is perfect, it isn't. And Uber is implementing driverless cars!

We have learned to accept these glitches as growing pains. And like everyone else, I did, gracefully... until a few days ago, when Firefox updated their browser.... and my personal nightmare started.

"Faster and more powerful" said the update. All of a sudden, my passwords were not recognized... most of them anyway. I am still locked out of my main email account with Cox.... and cut out from my business mail. I can't access my account at Amazon. Facebook still works, and so does my online banking, but I am scared to even try to access many of my regular writers and readers sites, for fear of the nightmare.

I tried to contact Cox, of course, but their automatic phone butler keeps you listening to music for hours and never lets you speak to an operator.

"Just reset your password," says one site... but in order to do so, they must accept my old password, which they don't. Then they say they'll send you an email to confirm and you will have to acknowledge the change by clicking the link they emailed you, before you can log in again.... but I can't access my email! Grrrrr.

Although usually comfortable navigating cyberspace, I suddenly feel inadequate. Am I getting old? Am I wrong to expect updates not to mess up my carefully organized life? Or is there something more sinister going on?

Maybe there is a story in here... every life experience can be fodder for popular fiction, right? Imagine a world where glitchy computers make life and death decisions... Or is it already happening, and we are not aware of it?

There is a big difference between technology and progress. Although we are making great leaps in technology, progress lags behind, since progress is the evolution of the human mind and the human condition. I think mutual respect, quality of work and life, and caring customer service are part of progress, but these seem to be sorely lacking in today's society.

Sorry for venting here, but I was wondering if you had similar experiences with glitchy technology.


  Vijaya Schartz
  Action, Romance, Mayhem
  http://www.vijayaschartz.com
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