Technology and Lost Friends

The other day I was at the gym when I saw a middle aged obese black woman walking around with a Disc-man. I was surpised to see that in the day and age of iPods and the various mp3 player knock offs that someone would still bring a disc man to the gym as their preferred form of protable music. I pitied that woman and the people around her that have to put up with someone so out of touch with modern technology.

This also made me realize how I have lost friends over the years due to their reluctance to embrace technology. For example, I had a friend in Chicago that for the longest time was only able to be reached on his HOME telephone. Remember land lines? Well it wasn't until 2005 that he finally decided to get a cell phone. That purchase temporarily saved our friendship because I had just about given up trying to make plans with him but never being able to get a hold of him. Unfortunately that short lived revival in our friendship came to an end when he refused to add texting to his phone plan. Who the fuck doesn't have texting capabilities now a days????? I text more than I talk! Combine that with the fact that in 2009 this boy still had no computer or internet access (I communicate via my blog and Facebook just as much as the phone) and it's safe to say that our friendship kind of fizzled out....except with the lack of communication it never was made official. This friend was truly lost to his inability to adapt to the modern world I am living in. He probably doesn't even know I don't live in Chicago anymore!

Such a shame. We lose friends for all sorts of reasons but I think the technology excuse is one we often overlook. I will jump on whatever technology bandwagon comes my way if it means maintaining a social life!