Saturday 24 October 2009

A Question: Could You Live Without ...?

Of all the modern wonders I wonder which, if any, you would like to get shot of?

1. The infernal combustion engine, i.e. the motor car.
2. The internet.
3. Television.
4. The mobile (cell) phone.
5. The microwave oven.
6. The aeroplane.

Me? No.3 - the TV would be dumped if I was allowed to. What a time-waster it generally is.

Also, the mobile or cellphone. OK, they're handy on a long car journey if you break down, but I managed without one extremely well for 50 years! Now it seems millions of people, especially kids and teens, have one welded to their ears or fingers. 'Texting', with its own micro language, seems to be replacing conversation! Still, everyone to their own likes.

I'd even go so far as to say the aeroplane has caused a heck of a lot of heartache, death and destruction that it might have been better never to have been invented.

Argue amongst yourselves - if you are interested!

29 comments:

A human kind of human said...

None of them and yet, all of them. They are all practical, good inventions, but all of them tend to take over and dictate to us in this fast, artificial life we lead nowadays. They all say hurry, hurry, hurry - and we do. The first that would be thrown out of my life would be the television - what a bore!. The last would be the internet.

Susan said...

Well... I live without #4. Shocking, I know. But I don't mind.
I grew up without #3, so I could do without it pretty easily. (I can't live without books though)
I'm pretty attached to 'aeroplanes' my vehicle, and the internet though.

DUTA said...

Of all the six items ,I'll find it hard to live only without internet. The internet not only provides one with vast knowledge but it has also made me creative. I've learnt to create slideshows, to fix and repair certain things (yes, even the computer) with the help of instructions given on the web etc..

I could easily do without TV , the mobile phone, and the micro wave oven.

Brenda said...

I am pretty sure I could do without all of them and have at different times in my life. The ones that would be hardest to do without now though... are the internet, computer and cell phone. Those I use the most. But we are creative human beings and I think most of us would be just fine without any of them.

Lynn said...

I hate to think I would be stranded without my trusty Toyota even though I am a homebody. Without the internet, I wouldn't have made friends worldwide via my blog, but the others I could do without. I very seldom use my cell, sorry I don't know how to text, ditto the microwave and I love a local bumper sticker that says "Kill the Television".

Gigi Ann said...

I think I could do without #3 and #6, since I'm not much of a traveler.

The internet I use regularly. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here reading your blog. And there are so many interesting blogs to visit. I esp. enjoy the ones that show photos of where they live. I kind of feel like I'm on a mini-vacation sitting here in my easy chair.

I like my cell phone, but, I don't text. My grand-children e-mail me but no no to texting.

What would I do without my Microwave oven. How would I heat up left-overs. haha...

And my car, how would I get anywhere, I'm a bit old to walk a few miles to get wherever I need to go. I am one who is very dependent on so many of these modern conveniences. hee, hee.

Bee Magic Chronicles for Kids said...

Starting Monday, driving while yacking on a handheld cell phone will be illegal in Ontario. Thank God. But those who are addicted will probably never stop. It's only the addiction, most commonly with texting, that I have a concern with. Many can take or leave a cell phone but when you MUST have something then I think it's time to stop and think about why.

the walking man said...

If I could reach back and change the past it would definitely be #1...the first electrically powered vehicle should have been encouraged and developed.

The rest *shrug* progress isn't bad just the way we slavishly addict ourselves to its output.

Shadow said...

definately the tv! it stifles, no kills, conversation!

Argent said...

For me, TV could certainly go as it just sucks up all free time if you let it. I can't drive a car so I tihnk I could lose the infernal combustion engine. I like my mobile phone though now I have one. Aeroplanes I can take or leave as I don't use them very much. I have to keep the internet though - how else would I have been able to meet and interact with such a host of creative, thoughtful people.

Pauline said...

I'd surely miss my computer. I didn't have a TV for over 20 years and though there's one in my living room now it's for viewing DVDs and movie tapes. I can still walk or ride a bike when my car refuses to run, I only have a cell for emergencies at my son's insistence (and on his payment plan), don't use the microwave and can't afford to fly! I agree with the Walking Man - it's our addictions that undo us. I'm willing to bet though that if we didn't have the aforementioned, something else would be invented to make life "easier."

Tess Kincaid said...

The one thing on your list that I could easily do without is the microwave oven. I only use it to reheat my coffee and tea. Easy peasey to give it up.

PhilipH said...

What a jolly nice response from you all.

It seems that the TV is something that most of us could live without and that the internet is something we would prefer to keep.

Well, that's encouraging. I like certain types of TV, mainly comedy shows and some documentaries but on the whole I could certainly live quite happily (and more quietly) without them.

Thanks for posting your thoughts.

Barry said...

We just recently got rid of our microwave. Our broke down and both Linda and I discovered we had no desire to replace it.

Since then, it's never been missed.

Vera said...

Our widescreen TV we left in the UK, we keep forgetting that we have such a thing as a cell phone so it is always without charge, and living in a caravan most certainly highlights what we can't do without. And that is our computers, Internet, and books. we have surprised ourselves at how much of what we thought we needed we actually don't.

Lynn said...

After working in my garden and beeyard all afternoon, I'd like to weigh in with one more comment.

We could live without ALL of those things. It would certainly be a different way of life, but generations before us survived.

What we can't live without are clean air to breathe, fresh, unpolluted water to drink, wholesome fruits and vegetables and honeybees!

PhilipH said...

Lynn, you are perfectly correct!

I hark back to when I was 7 or 8 and living in Hathaway Road Croydon.

We had none of these things other than cars and aeroplanes. There was only ever ONE car in our road; a black Vauxhall, about 8 horse power I think.

The aeroplanes were Nazi bombers, British Spitfires (hooray, come on my brave lads!!) and Tiger Moths!

Our most cherished modern invention was the radio. My Dad often asked me to take a sort of glass container with a handle to be 'charged up'. This was a lead-acid 6volt battery! We did not have electricity in the house, just town gas (highly poisonous) for lighting and the gas stove.

Milk, bread, coal was delivered by horse and cart as were the barrels of beer to all the pubs.

Oh, better stop there or you'll think I'm older than Methuselah.

ToBlog today said...

They are all generally great inventions, and I for one would not stifle progress. It really is our relationship to these inventions that can either make our life easier or be the bane of our existence.

However, I could do without #4, and #5. I would add answering machines to this list, or that annoying beep, beep, when someone phones while I'm already having a conversation with someone else.

The Bug said...

I only use my cell phone to let Dr. M know I'm on my way home from work - so he can have dinner ready :)

I would LOVE to do without at least one of our cars, but sadly we both have to travel opposite directions (35 miles for each of us!) to work each day.

I can definitely leave the TV behind - I like to watch baseball, but I don't HAVE to.

scarlethue said...

TV would be the first to go. I watch far too much of it. I should read more books. Cell phones are helpful in emergency situations, but I've learned to pretty well ignore mine when I'm relaxing. And without the internet I wouldn't have a job... so let's not get rid of that just yet. I definitely couldn't live without airplanes. Otherwise, it would take me entirely too long to get to Europe and all the other beautiful places of the world I want to see.

Jo said...

Number 3, the car. I have never owned a car, I have never even driven a car. There are all kinds of ways to design good environmentally public transit -- trains, electric trolley buses (like we have in Vancouver), ferries over small bodies of water, etc., etc.

In the 1950s all the street cars were taken out in favor of cars and gasoline buses. The result is pollution.

Tess Kincaid said...

Your fog warning gave me the absolute willies Mr. Phil!

Willow-the-Wisp

Cliff W said...

Well, the microwave can go. It's used once in a blue moon and takes up more space than it deserves.

The mobile phone has changed my work life which is site-based engineering. The ability to make instant contact with Clients / contractors etc. has saved me countless hours of frustration and driving around looking for phoneboxes!

The Web is a powerful tool and now here would be missed.

Where I live there are no reliable alternatives to the combustion engine other than a pony and trap although I'd need a much larger garden for sure!

As far as aeroplanes are concerned, environmentally they're a curse but I would hate to foresake my week's holiday in the snowy mountains. The hills in Ireland aren't really up to it!

The TV is predominantly for films (on DVD), news and comedies.

The important thing is to avoid becoming too dependant upon any one piece of technology, I think.

Land of shimp said...

Oh Philip, we've discussed mobile phones in the past, and that's my answer. That's the convenience I'd miss the least.

Having said that? I like my technology, every single last bit of it. I like to watch movies, I like to watch TV. Heck, I watch DVDs while working out. I love my microwave and...

Really, when you get right down to it? The thing I'd really like to pitch?

The iron :-) Everything else, I'm keeping and proud to love it too!

Holte Ender said...

I would keep them all, but would like to see the world in general use them better.

1. The motor car is an older invention than the aeroplane but still uses internal combustion as a means of propulsion. I grew up in the Black Country and when they put the M6 through its heart, they said it would solve the West Midlands traffic problems until the 21st century, it was bumper to bumper in the 1980s. Infrastructure is a major problem, also electric cars should have been here 25 years ago.

2. The Internet. Love it.

3. Don't get sucked into watching drivel.

4. Becoming essential.

5. Good for warming stuff up, as long as you don't use it as the major cooking tool.

6. Air crashes are tragic because so many people are affected all at once. Car crashes and home accidents have a higher mortality rate.

PhilipH said...

Many thanks to all. Sorry I have been absent for a while but my wife has been in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for a few days and I just have not had the time to spare on the web recently.

Also, I am in the process of switching my ISP from Tiscali to Plusnet and this expected to happen on 3rd November. Fingers crossed that I can get back on wireless broadband without too much kerfuffle.

See you all again asap.
Take care...

Stella Jones said...

Oh definitely the microwave oven. I never did get the hang of it, really! It takes up space in a handy little corner of my kitchen that I used to use for yesterday's newspapers. The appliance I would least like to get rid of is my washing machine. I'd rather have a radio than a T.V. and I couldn't live without books. Great post, thanks.
Blessings, Star

Cliff W said...

I hope your wife makes a swift recovery. God bless

Michael said...

I actually do not own a TV currently nor miss it as I rarely watched it. I jsut got a cell phone a few years back but would be glad to lose it. I also don't own a microwave--no prob there. Now, the aeroplane--most of the time i would not miss that either as I rarely get to fly and there would always be boats. BUT the internet--no way. I ahve to ahve that! :)