Better Off

"Our chief comforts often produce our greatest anxieties, and the increase in our possessions is but an inlet to new disquietudes." -Oliver Goldsmith

I just finished a book titled, "Better Off: Flipping the Switch On Technology" by Eric Brende. It was an interesting book about a couple who decide to give up modern technology and live in an amish community. The couple does this as an experiment to see how much technology is too much. They give up everything from washing machines (they use a hand crank one), to refridgerators. As a techno-geek myself, it really made me start to wonder how technology is too much in my own life.

In many circumstances the couple found that doing chores without the aid of technology became more enjoyable! Also, there was a greater reliance on the community, creating a much stronger bond between neighbors than most of us feel today. I will definitely look at all the technologicial wonders I fill my life with in a new light, and hopefully find a better balance. It appears to me that even though technology is a wonderful thing, sometimes it can be more trouble than its worth. We can easily end up spending too much time paying for and maintaining things.