Those Were The Days

She was standing on the bus, leaning, rather, against the plastic divider between the back door and the next seat, a cane in one hand and bags of shopping in the other.  All the seats were occupied, some with rather able bodied and youngish looking selves.  I went over to her and in a voice just loud enough to hopefully help a few people nearby feel guilty I offered to get someone to give her their seat.  In a Slavic, perhaps Ukrainian or Russian accent, she replied that she was okay where she was, that her back condition only worsened with having to sit and stand again.  She then proceeded to thank me copiously for offering to stick out my neck for her.

She then got talking about how selfish and ignorant young people are, far too absorbed in themselves and their electronic gadgets to notice or care about those around them.  It was then that I thought of some of the young people whom I have seen offering their seats for others and even for me, but I said nothing.

When she was through with berating the young she then started in on the evils of technology, that she has never had a cell phone nor even learned to use a computer and how proud she is.  She is certain that the world is going to hell, that it keeps getting worse and worse and worse and that technology is to blame.

I felt in no position to argue, to agree or disagree, simply to offer her the pleasure of venting in front of a kind stranger.  She was certain that everyone who has a computer is a slave to technology.  I did mention to her that I have a computer, but no smart phone and I never carry my technology with me.  I like to leave it at home where it belongs.  I also mentioned that I take care to only use my computer when I need to check for or respond to an email or important things.  I did not tell her about the videos I see on YouTube or of how wonderfully Spanish documentaries and other programs online have enriched and improved my Spanish abilities or of all I am learning from these videos and other programs about the world and life and other people.  Nor did I mention how easy browsing the internet has made foreign travel for me, from learning about new travel destinations, to finding out about cities and towns, researching suitable hotels and making reservations.

I said nothing about how Skype without cost as brought me together with some really great people who live overseas, developing new friendships and enriching old ones.  Nor did I say anything about the Conversation Exchange Page where I meet new and interesting people to practice Spanish with and help them learn English and the wonderful friendships that have resulted.  I didn't even mention this blog.

I am not a slave to the internet, but neither am I a slave to a fictionalized past.  I, and I am sure many others, do know how to use information technology responsibly without becoming enslaved to it.  It is a matter of having self-discipline, yes, but also of having strong values and enough inner or soul substance.  In just a moment I am going to turn off this computer and find something else to do, perhaps read for a little while or work on a painting.

Even though I might not share this lady's opinions and even though I have hope for our future and for our planet it would have been unseemly to openly disagree with her.  This was her moment and it was, well, lovely to see her revel in this opportunity to freely and unabashedly express her thoughts and beliefs.  As well, when we got off the bus, she gave me her blessing.  As I walked away to cross the street, she called after me with these words: "Don't be a slave."