Thursday, May 03, 2007
Techonological Tuerto
Every once in awhile I like to learn some not-so-common Spanish words. Tuerto means one-eyed, and not even my fourth grade students knew that until I taught them. I am trying to read “Alicia en el pais de las maravillas” (Alice in wonderland) but it has impossible vocabulary. I now know the word for some objects that I am not even sure what they are called in English, for example, the kind of telescope or whatever that a pirate uses that can expand and collapse, that is a “catalejo” in Spanish.
We love to use powerpoint here. Every Thursday I bring my computer to school so we can show fancy slides with song lyrics, and every Saturday for the little kids Bible story time as well. Although my computer is a little heavy to carry and I sometimes worry about it getting stolen or damaged, it’s not that big of a deal. My main concern is that it has become absolutely essential for our times of worship. The point of kids’ songs is that they are easy and stick in your brain, not to mention the kids sing many of the same songs every week. They don’t really need to look at the words. If anything, it is sometimes a distraction and creates a lot more work to haul out all the equipment. I am afraid we have fallen into what Neil Postman calls “techonopoly,” where we are one-eyed technophobes, and don’t consider in what ways the use of technology might be an encumbrance. When I suggested that maybe we don’t always need the songs on powerpoint, the response was that since we have it we’re going to use it.
Just because a technology exists, we are not compelled to use it. Sometimes I would rather walk to my friend’s house than use the phone. Sometimes I would rather sit in a circle and sing along to a guitar than have microphones and powerpoint slides. I am writing this in my blog because I realized people here won’t understand me. For most of them computers still invoke great interest and they especially love their cell-phones (the one widespread technology due to an underdeveloped infrastructure which makes it a pain to get a land line.) I always want to tell them that they aren’t missing out on that much. One of the things I have come to like about being here is my lack of technology. The times I get to talk on the telephone with my family are oh so precious, and because I only use the internet one or two times a week, I always have a new email waiting for me! I get a lot of exercise not having a car, and my water and electricity consumption are probably really low, from never using a TV or a pressure washer or clothes dryer. In the words of napoleon dynamite’s brother “I love techonology” because it enables me to communicate with my family and friends, but I see how life goes on without such conveniences, and sometimes they can hinder the good life. I suffer the most out of anyone when there are no song lyrics, but if they are always there I am never forced to commit the song to memory. I miss microwaves and the good things you can make in them, like nachos with melted cheese, or frozen burritos. It is a small price though, something I can easily give up knowing that I am doing God’s will by being here.
Every once in awhile I like to learn some not-so-common Spanish words. Tuerto means one-eyed, and not even my fourth grade students knew that until I taught them. I am trying to read “Alicia en el pais de las maravillas” (Alice in wonderland) but it has impossible vocabulary. I now know the word for some objects that I am not even sure what they are called in English, for example, the kind of telescope or whatever that a pirate uses that can expand and collapse, that is a “catalejo” in Spanish.
We love to use powerpoint here. Every Thursday I bring my computer to school so we can show fancy slides with song lyrics, and every Saturday for the little kids Bible story time as well. Although my computer is a little heavy to carry and I sometimes worry about it getting stolen or damaged, it’s not that big of a deal. My main concern is that it has become absolutely essential for our times of worship. The point of kids’ songs is that they are easy and stick in your brain, not to mention the kids sing many of the same songs every week. They don’t really need to look at the words. If anything, it is sometimes a distraction and creates a lot more work to haul out all the equipment. I am afraid we have fallen into what Neil Postman calls “techonopoly,” where we are one-eyed technophobes, and don’t consider in what ways the use of technology might be an encumbrance. When I suggested that maybe we don’t always need the songs on powerpoint, the response was that since we have it we’re going to use it.
Just because a technology exists, we are not compelled to use it. Sometimes I would rather walk to my friend’s house than use the phone. Sometimes I would rather sit in a circle and sing along to a guitar than have microphones and powerpoint slides. I am writing this in my blog because I realized people here won’t understand me. For most of them computers still invoke great interest and they especially love their cell-phones (the one widespread technology due to an underdeveloped infrastructure which makes it a pain to get a land line.) I always want to tell them that they aren’t missing out on that much. One of the things I have come to like about being here is my lack of technology. The times I get to talk on the telephone with my family are oh so precious, and because I only use the internet one or two times a week, I always have a new email waiting for me! I get a lot of exercise not having a car, and my water and electricity consumption are probably really low, from never using a TV or a pressure washer or clothes dryer. In the words of napoleon dynamite’s brother “I love techonology” because it enables me to communicate with my family and friends, but I see how life goes on without such conveniences, and sometimes they can hinder the good life. I suffer the most out of anyone when there are no song lyrics, but if they are always there I am never forced to commit the song to memory. I miss microwaves and the good things you can make in them, like nachos with melted cheese, or frozen burritos. It is a small price though, something I can easily give up knowing that I am doing God’s will by being here.
# posted by Ellen @ 10:45 PM 
