So I'm in Centre Parcs. Well, I'm either in Centre Parcs, or I've been to Centre Parcs, depending on whether or not I manage to find any Wireless internet whilst I'm here. You see, there's no internet, which, as much as I hate to admit it, means that there's nothing. There's no Facebook, there's no checking emails, there's no iPlayer…nothing. Coming to the middle of the woods and complaining about no internet is very typical, I know. However, it's made me realise how accustomed I've become to technology. As I stumbled into 2010, I read a few articles looking at the rate of technological change of this decade. I read some crazy, far-fetched predictions that I have no doubt will come true soon. One of which I can remember off the top of my head - Zero calorie chocolate brownies!
I'm going to relive to you one of the most exciting moments of the mini-break so far. I was sat at a nice little table in our cosy little Villa. Out of nowhere, a little box of heaven popped up at the bottom corner of my screen 'Wireless internet detected'. Just as I'd started to accept that I'd have to live in the 18th century for the weekend, I screamed with relief 'WE HAVE INTERNET!!!!' To my absolute revulsion, however, this was just a teaser. It was just a little reminder that the world did have internet, but I was too deep in the woods, too removed from civilization, for it to reach me.
And it doesn't even end there. Later on in the day, sat in Starbucks, I tried to hide my desperation as I asked a member of staff 'Do you have wireless here?', and before she'd even finished her sentence I was seeing 'Goooogle' floating around in my head. Well, as my friend and I had hired bikes and left them nearby, I went on a quest to get my bike to retrieve my laptop from our villa. But the universe just didn't want me to have the internet; I couldn't find my bike. I walked around aimlessly for 15 minutes and returned, holding my head down, to a confused friend.
I'd like to say that the only reason I want the internet is because I know I can't have it. However, I have to admit that checking my emails is something that I do more than I wee. And it's not like I'm exactly a busy business man, I'm…a student, I don't get many life-changing emails. You're probably reading this now with a million better things you could be doing, the internet's an addictive place, isn't it?
However, as I think I've substantially admitted, I need to be able to check my emails (read:Facebook). However, looking at predictions of what the next ten years hold had made me wonder. Is the soaring rate of technological change really necessary? Do we really need shops to text us as we walk past to tell us what's inside that we might like? (That's another prediction for this decade!) I don't even use all of the technology I have now. Do you have a paper diary or do you use your phone? And do you really use all of the applications on your iPod? Is a bowling application for iPods really going to be more exciting than the real thing forever or will the novelty wear off eventually? Technology is just making us think less for ourselves. I actually wanted to upload a photo of my Centre Parc adventures from my phone to my laptop to put on here, but I don't know where to begin. See, technology isn't really that great is it?
My prediction is that we'll reach a standstill and revert back to basics. There's already something nostalgic and almost vintage about walking into Waterstones or HMV…books?! CDs?!
Okay, so maybe we'll never go back to maps or Walkman's, but if we ever end up with zero-calorie chocolate brownies, I won't be too happy. We all need some way to be naughty.
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