I’ve been asked more than once recently, “What do you dowith all the time you spend on the computer?” I’m not sure how many are really interested in the answer, but perhaps I can explain why I find the question a bit baffling.
It’s not complicated. First, I stay in touch with friends from all over the US whom I’ve met through years of travel and moving, and whom I miss. People I care about still—literally in AL, CA, CO, FL, IA, IL, KS, LA, MI, NC, ND, NM, OK, PA, SC, VA, and WV—plus a few others.
Also--I keep up with the news—not just the headlines, but feature stories that interest me. Recent ones include the underground tunnels of Paris, Christian harassment of abortion patients, the lawsuits by the Kentucky “Ark replica” against insurers for failing to pay for rain damage, Christian harassment of transsexuals, Facebook’s comfort with hosting the fake Pelosi video, the use of oyster shells to slow Louisiana coastal erosion, the GOP senator who is holding up relief money for disaster victims, the President’s effort to skirt Congress’s ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Betsy Devos’s effort maintain the student debt of disabled veterans . . . I’m genuinely interested in all those stories and more. Plus stories about astrophysics and space exploration, ocean pollution, the fight for equality for all sorts of victims of bigotry . . .
In addition—I read several newspapers online, including but not limited to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Charlotte Observer, the New Zealand Herald, and occasionally several others.
I also check in with several online news sources, including (but not limited to) Huffington Post, Politico, ProPublica, the Daily Beast, Atlantic Monthly, and the New Yorker.
Also—I look up things online. Recently I’ve looked for information on the United Methodist fight over anti-LGBT legislation, the area of the city of Atlanta, the struggles over the leadership of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the emotional dynamics of fundamentalism, the side effects of one of my medications, the names of my legislative representatives, and the digital manuals for several of my home appliances.
Also—I shop. I’ve recently ordered several books (both paper and Kindle versions), a particular kind of night light, a garden bench, sunglasses, medicines from an online pharmacy, and a slew of other stuff that brick-and-mortar retailers make it harder and harder to find in their stores.
Also—I stay in touch with organizations I value, including the Citizens Climate Lobby, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and UUA, among others.
That’s more than enough. My point is that the Internet is my window on the world, where I can catch instantaneous glimpses of the world, great cities, great libraries, beautiful places I’ll never visit, and nationalities who help shape the world but whom I’m unlikely to encounter in person—Mongolia, Rwanda, Austria, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Zimbabwe, among others.
So from myperspective, I’m not spending a lot of time on my computer. I’m using my computer to roam our fascinating (and terrifying) world, trying to put a dent in the ignorance that keeps me from understanding what’s going on. As a retired guy in the southern US, I find that important.
Stop by and join me—physically or online. You’re welcome.
