Negative Impacts Of New Technology

It goes without saying that technology has changed the way we live.  It’s changed how we communicate, read the news, shop and even pay bills.  Heck, it’s changed a daily routine of mine that’s practiced by millions of Americans:

Getting the mail.

It wasn’t long ago that getting the mail was, for me, a daily practice.  Everything I received from the outside world came to me through that mail box.  Missing the mail meant potentially missing letters and, sigh, bills.

Today, however, I get virtually no letters outside holidays and every bill I pay is paid online.  Not only that, but I get the bill online as well.  Virtually nothing that’s important comes to me via the post office.

On top of that, there was a rash of mailbox vandalism in the neighborhood a few years back.  I changed out my old mailbox and installed a new one that came with a little luggage type lock.  This physical change impacted how we get our mail now.  Before, with the old mailbox, it was easy to slide up to it with our car, roll down the window and grab the mail.  Now, with the lock, you have to fish out the key, unlock the box, slide down the plate [with the key falling out 50% of the time] grab the mail and then lock the box back up.  Pain in the ass.

The result is that we don’t get the mail every day; maybe not every week.

And THIS means that I am late almost every month for the ONE bill that refuses to allow electronic delivery or payment.  My water bill.

So, if I knock on your door in my bathrobe to borrow some water, blame the internet.

2 responses to “Negative Impacts Of New Technology

  1. “So, if I knock on your door in my bathrobe to borrow some water, blame the internet.”

    No, blame your antiquated Municipal Utilities….

    • No, blame your antiquated Municipal Utilities….

      I was going to go on my Libertarian rant about government created monopolies, but the day is so nice outside.

      But: One day the water main was leaking and I was afraid it was on my side of the meter, so I called the utility to come fix it. The lady was rude, would transfer me too a supervisor and wouldn’t give me her name. Never mind scheduling a repair.

      As we said “goodbye” I offered her some advice:

      “Do me a favor, when we hang up, please walk over to your boss and explain ti him that I will be lodging a complaint. You are a government regulated utility and if you don’t comply with my request for repair, that government will fine you.”

      The repair guy was there the next afternoon.

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