Tuesday, Boston, Massachusetts

My office and my house are fully wired with most of the latest technological gadgets. I am what’s called, “an early adopter.” Now I don’t buy gadgets indiscriminately, but if any new hardware or software promises to make my life and work easier and more efficient, you’ll find me at the checkout at Best Buy. So I confess to a bias, I revel in the excitement and possibilities of the electronic age. However, I’m always amused and shocked when I encounter people who seem to have spurned all of these new modes of communication. And at the outset let me say, I have no fear of offending them because, well… by their own admission, they’re not reading this.

The Internet celebrates its 25th Birthday this year. That’s when the elaborate, military communication system was made available to the rest of us and it has taken culture by storm. I recently met someone who, when I suggested they might be interested in reading my blog, actually said, “well, I don’t have the worldwide Internet.” Huh!? I tried to make a joke and said, “you mean you’re not on the inter-web?”
Well, he didn’t get it.

Perhaps there’s good reason to spurn technology. Clearly spending your life immersed in screens has some negative effects. But in the extreme, to be so utterly detached from what is going on in the world, I’m not so sure that this is wise either. It’s certainly not necessary to be an early adopter, but I sometimes get a little concerned with people who are non-adopters. Being connected to the culture means being ill-informed about what we need to do to contribute as productive citizens.

As we approach yet another significant election, to be utterly detached from the conversation going on means we become vulnerable to the snippets and the spin that breaks through and can shape or opinion. If all I know about John McCain is a phrase “we will be in Iraq for 100 years,” it shapes my opinion, but completely out of context. If all I know about Hillary Clinton come from some statements made by a campaign staffer, it also misleads my opinion. And of course it’s all that comes to my attention about Barack Obama statements made years ago by his Minister, it distorts my understanding of him.

When I was a comedian in New York, I used to enjoy when Richard Belzer was the emcee at Catcher A Rising Star. He would tell a joke, and if he noticed that someone sitting up front seemed confused, he would tease them about not knowing what was going on in the world. He might say “what’s the problem, Sparky? Read the paper, watch 60 Minutes, catch up!”

It’s hard to be patient with people who seem to be out to lunch, especially when they have strong opinions. Like the fifth person down the rumor chain, their information is often twisted and usually stupid. It’s the kind of limited thinking that causes the dumbbells among us to leap from one bad experience or story about an African-American, for example, to the lazy and easy conclusion that every one of color is…well…whatever. You know, the psychosis and stupidity of racism. To move from your toxic feelings about blacks, women or the elderly to conclusions about Hillary, Barack or John is the very process that keeps humanity from making progress.

An ill-informed electorate gets what it deserves. And in my opinion the fact that we got stuck with the mess we are in domestically and globally, with an ill-equipped president and an impotent legislature tells me that too many citizens are either disconnected nor not thoughtful. Maybe it’s time they got “on the line to the world web net.”