Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Wonders of Technology


I have been struggling lately to produce a DVD from film I took with my digital camera. Wrestling not only with all the various terms but the intricacies of digital formats and mechanics is enough to try my patience. Sometimes it is a challenge, but often it is drudgery. I end up spending more time figuring out what to do than I do in actually accomplishing anything. I suppose the technological challenge keeps my brain sharp. But sometimes I would rather spend my time just being creative- drawing, painting or writing with an actual pen. I don't usually think of myself as a Luddite, but sometimes I wonder about the advantages of the digital age. They make what we do faster and easier to disseminate but also seem to eviscerate the creativity, thought and emotion that goes into our work. E-mail is an example of quick, direct and cheap communication but omits the physical style, nuance and inflection of the written or spoken word. I have wondered whether there might be a way to restore these embellishments to digital communication.

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