I am a little concerned about how much we allow machines to dictate our actions. We've gotten used to alarms going off, phones and doorbells ringing, and various timers letting us know that our food is ready. We have been conditioned to respond when technology dings.
It should have come as no surprise that texting would be such a problem. Not only does it provoke an unconscious response (the way that technology has conditioned us to respond), but it also satisfies one of our most basic needs -- connection to other human beings. The sound or vibration (or both) signaling a text tells us that other people acknowledge or existence and maybe even value us.
When I first heard about the texting and driving problem, I thought the idea was ludicrous. I wondered how people could possibly endanger themselves and the people around them that way. But then I got a phone with texting abilities last year, and I quickly discovered how strong that temptation can be.
Now, I don't get that many text messages, and I consider myself to have a fair amount of self control, but especially when I receive a text on one of my long rides from (or sometimes to) work, I seem to need every ounce of my willpower to keep from "just taking a quick look." While I have thus far managed to not succumb to the strange pressure that such a notification gives me, I have certainly gained a greater appreciation for the daily struggles that people go through. I no longer allow myself to get as irritated at those drivers who are talking on the phone or texting as I used to get.
This is a bigger problem than just a few people. It is not only idiots or the extremely careless who can slip up. This just highlights another area where we have to fight for our own self-control. We need to find a more effective way to handle this problem. I only hope that technology will help solve the problem that it has created before more lives are lost.
It should have come as no surprise that texting would be such a problem. Not only does it provoke an unconscious response (the way that technology has conditioned us to respond), but it also satisfies one of our most basic needs -- connection to other human beings. The sound or vibration (or both) signaling a text tells us that other people acknowledge or existence and maybe even value us.
When I first heard about the texting and driving problem, I thought the idea was ludicrous. I wondered how people could possibly endanger themselves and the people around them that way. But then I got a phone with texting abilities last year, and I quickly discovered how strong that temptation can be.
Now, I don't get that many text messages, and I consider myself to have a fair amount of self control, but especially when I receive a text on one of my long rides from (or sometimes to) work, I seem to need every ounce of my willpower to keep from "just taking a quick look." While I have thus far managed to not succumb to the strange pressure that such a notification gives me, I have certainly gained a greater appreciation for the daily struggles that people go through. I no longer allow myself to get as irritated at those drivers who are talking on the phone or texting as I used to get.
This is a bigger problem than just a few people. It is not only idiots or the extremely careless who can slip up. This just highlights another area where we have to fight for our own self-control. We need to find a more effective way to handle this problem. I only hope that technology will help solve the problem that it has created before more lives are lost.
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