Day My Computer Died

I've always been a skeptic when it comes to technology, particularly computers and the Information Age. I used to think it was crazy how people would put their total faith into a machine, some even more than in their faith in humanity. Humans are imperfect, imperfect creatures. I say this in a positive way because if humanity were completely positive and perfect we would have nothing to learn, and life would lose its vitality and mystery. The computers come from the same universal reality as humanity, so I think we should look at technology in a similar context. Computers are not infallible pieces of nature's perfection.

I learned that computers are great tools for human society. May be functional in innumerable areas of everyday existence, helping to streamline many aspects of our lives. However, as today I discovered my computer had 'died' after lightning struck my house and subsequent power surge, the realization of a faith that is completed in our progressive technology is simply practical. I'm not saying that like the Luddites of the early industrialization, we must destroy this stuff, I'm just saying that we must realize that like all things in life, technology can and get sick and die on occasion. Working at an Internet company Web Hosting I have witnessed many of these diseases, and was very fortunate that human doctors''were found to perform surgery.

It 'a real break when something goes wrong, but these events are necessary in a space-time continuum that is constantly changing. Are you a spiritual person, you could say that there is only one thing in life to have unwavering faith in: Magical existence itself. You may be asking yourself now 'What is this guy talking about?' I think I'm just rationalizing the death of my newfound 'friend'. I'm reaching the point where I realized my irrational fears were unfounded and the elderly, as most fears generally are. However, I also wonder about those people out there who have more faith in computers humans. For example, I know a man who says he would rather fly in an airplane autopilot instead of the real thing. Human pilots can get drunk the night before and be depressed and hung over right? Whereas computers are completely rational, emotional and unable to participate in activities deemed by most as unpleasant.

The sad fact is that computers can break and die. Perhaps we need to find a middle ground where inorganic and organic intelligence work in tandem, so that if one half of the partnership fails, the other half can always compensate. Let me tell you I'm very sad right now, but hey 'Shit Happens'. I just hope that the 'shit' is not your plane landing in the ocean due to a computer that had too much vodka the night before.