When I read this today, I remembered this post from a few days ago.

I'm not the sort of person who doesn't see the downsides of technology. I was very skeptical of computers thirty years ago. I was troubled by things like "efficiency" and "economies of scale." Certainly one can look back on how much television has changed life, and wonder about how bad the impact has been. In the last foundations class this semester, when we were discussing educational technology, I told students that in my grandfather's day, everyone knew how to play a musical instrument. The radio changed that.

It is possible to ask questions without being a detractor, or a supporter. For instance, was the invention of the car good or bad for people? Surely you can make a list that has both pros and cons.

I believe hysterics over the changes in communication - email, texting, and social networking are the equivalent of "if man were meant to fly he'd have wings." Now, I am not exactly an air travel enthusiast, and plan to never fly again unless absolutely necessary. But standing in the way of the march of "progress" was worthless in terms of planes, and is futile when it comes to e-communication.

It isn't just a fad. Sure, technology will zip on by, and a new innovation will come along. That doesn't change the fact that this is how it is now, and it is interesting to think about what that means.