Modern Conveniences

The complexity of today's modern conveniences astounds me.  They are supposedly designed to make our lives easier yet, I find that for the most part, their primary purpose is to drain any excess disposable income from our pockets.

One of my favorite leisure activities is to read.  I love a good old-fashioned, well-bound book.  I can carry it with me wherever I go.  I can read while grabbing a quick bite to eat.  I can read in my recliner.  I can read on an airplane.  It is enduring.  I can pass it on to others for their enjoyment once I am through with it, or loan it to them for a brief period so that if ever returned, I can enjoy it again.

Many believe the paper and print book is a "dinosaur" that will eventually be replaced by electronic media.  I understand their thinking but, I am not interested.  I have to purchase the Kindle or whatever brand of electronic book and then purchase each electronic book separately.  I can't legally share the books with others as I would loan a bound copy.  I can't read it during takeoff and landing when on an airplane.  I can't read it when the charge dies on my electronic reader.  If the reader breaks, I have to buy a new one.  What happens to all the books that I have downloaded?  I must admit to ignorance on this particular point.

Another example of the wonderful modern conveniences that I don't really understand is the new type of coffee maker.  I purchased one for my wife for Christmas because she loves to sample exotic flavors of coffee.  I am satisfied with the most basic of varieties.  This new type of coffee maker is designed to brew a single cup at a time.  I purchased a Keurig brand for her.

I must admit that it is convenient.  I typically am the first to rise in the morning and usually made an entire pot of coffee.  I made it a little weaker than I prefer because she doesn't like hers quite as strong.  With this new coffee maker I can make a single cup for me and use one of the stronger versions.  She can make a single cup for herself and use something weaker, or perhaps flavored.

The next consideration is the cost.  The new Keurig was considerably more expensive than most traditional coffee makers.  Plus, you have to buy the individual cups -- or whatever you call them -- to brew it.  The cost of a dozen cups of coffee is about what a two-pound canister of coffee cost before which would last for several weeks.  Sure, it's convenient, but I can just see the numbers on the cash register turning like a slot machine.

Automobiles are another example.  It hasn't been that many years ago that I could work on just about any automobile that I purchased.  They were fairly simple -- especially the engine.  Today, it takes special training and special tools just to find the oil filter let alone change it.  The on board computer in a car today is much more complex than the computer that controlled our flight to the moon many years ago.  Uh, did I say how expensive they have become?  Not to mention that it is such a chore to change the oil that most people take it to someone else to do that for them.  More expense for the convenience.  If something quits working you have little choice but to take it to a specially trained mechanic for repairs.  What happened to simple?

I guess I'm not completely convinced that all these modern conveniences are good for us.  It just means that more of what we earn must be spent to maintain the convenient lifestyle that we live.  I'm sure that there are better uses for that extra income than to make our sedentary lives even more sedentary.  But, there's always the convenience of the local gym where we can pay to go exercise......

Today marks the halfway point in our alphabetically inspired journey.  Tomorrow we start the downhill slide with the letter "N."  Suggestions are welcome.....


Chris