CarolinaOchoa

Prof.Erin
AudioEssay
12915
Technology:TheGood,theBad,andtheUgly
Iwasinthe6thgradewhenIgotmyfirstcomputer.ItwasanexpensiveHP
desktopwithagiganticflatscreenmonitorandablackkeyboard.Myfamilycouldnever
affordsuchathing.Itwasanunnecessaryluxury,butthatchanged.Acomputerbecame
necessary,practicallyrequiredfortheworldwerelivingin.
Acomputerwasdefinitelyrequiredforme.Inmiddleschool,assignmentswere
duethatdemandedtypedinsteadofwrittenwordsandreportshadtoincludevarious
onlineresources.Nottomention,vitalclassnotesandmaterialsthatwerereachablevia
onlinewebsites.Therewassomethingelsethatmadeacomputerseemessentialtome,a
moresuperficialreason.Ihadthedesireofbeingsociallyuptodatewitheveryoneelse.
Kidsinmyclasswereonthesamepagewiththedigitalage,whileIwasleftbehindin
theStoneAge.Butthatchanged,onceIhadmyHP.Thisnewworldofexcitementand
wonderwasaccessibletomenow,andIwasreadytoexplore.
Fastforwardtomyfreshmanyearofhighschool,whenmyhoopearringswereas
bigasmyfaceandmyhairwascurlyandslatheredinhairgel.MySpacewasdead.
Facebookwasin.Peoplewerepostingtheirlivesonawallandconversationswere
typedinsteadofspoken.Interactionsbecamedigitized.Despiteallthis,theuseof
computersandtechnologydidnotseemlikeanissuetome.Infact,itwasasolution.
Researchingbecamefasterandeasier.Reachingpeoplebecamefasterandeasier.

Everythingandeveryonewasaclickaway.Computersdidntseembadtome;theywere
afriend.Therewasnothingwrongwiththem.
Fastforwardtomyjunioryearofhighschool,whenInolongerworehoop
earrings,myhairwasstraight,andpassingpapernotesduringclasswasreplacedby
sendingtextmessages.Theoldwayswerereplacedbythemodernways.Inwiththenew,
outwiththeold,justlikewithmyfirstcomputer.MyfirstHPwasnowreplacedwitha
newHPlaptop.OnceIhadawhiffofthatnewlaptopsmell,Iwasinlove.Iwassomuch
inlovethatIdidntnoticehowmuchtimeIspentonmylaptop.IwasunawarethatI
choseTwitterovermyfamily;thatIcancelledplanswithfriendsjusttolieinbed,
hypnotizedbymyPinterestboard.Iwasblindedtothefactthatmydayrevolvedaround
myshiny,newlaptop.
Iwasfallingintothevortexofbeingdisconnectedfromtheactualworldand
beingpluggedintothevirtualworld,butIdidntevenknowit.Therealizationofit
crasheddownonmewhenmyfamilysInternetwascutofffortwoweeks,leavingmy
laptoputterlyuseless.Iwasdisconnected,pissedoff,andgoingthroughvirtual
withdrawal.Duringthefirstweek,IscrambledaroundtryingtogetahitoftheInternet
wheneverpossible.Myfamilyborethebruntofmyfury.Iunleashedmyrageand
aggressionunjustlyonthem.OnceIhadreachedfullblownbitchmode,Isawthatthere
wasaproblem.
ThisepiphanyofminesappearedwhenmymomandIwerefighting.Whatdo
youwantmetodo?!Ineedtouseacomputerthatactuallyworks!Ibarkedatmymom
assheaskedmewhereIwasheading.Itwasabout10oclockatnightandIwasgoingto

useafriend'scomputer,unabletoremainawayfromthepreciousInternet.Mymom
prohibitedmetoleavethehouse.Shesaidsheitwastoolatetobeout.Ifyoureally
caredaboutme,thenyoudletmego!Oratleastwouldhavemarriedsomebodycapable
offixingthisstupidproblem!Wearguedforanothercoupleofminutes.Idont
rememberwhatelsewassaid,Ijustrememberpunchingthewhite,metalfrontdoor
beforetakingmycarkeysandstormingoutofthehouse;butIdidntdriveoff.Isatin
mycarwithtearsgushingdownmyface,chokingonsobs.
Whatpossessedmetoactthatwaytowardsmymom,mybestfriend?WhendidI
becomethiscomputeraddict?Iwassouprootedintothewaysofthevirtualworld,thatI
losttouchwiththeactualworld.MyactionsdisgustedmeandIrefusedtocontinue
allowingmyselftobedependentuponcomputersortechnology.
AsIwipedmytearswiththesleeveofmyshirt,Inoticedmyshiny,newlaptop
besidesmeinthepassengersseat.Itliedtheremotionless,unabletosootheme,unableto
givemewhatItrulyneeded.Needlesstosay,Ididnotgotomyfriendshouse.Iwent
backtomyhousewithpuffyeyesandapologizedtomymom.Shegentlyhuggedme,
andasshestrokedmyhair,shesaidtome,Iloveyou,micorazon.Butifyoueverlet
somethingastrivialasyourlaptopgetbetweenus,Imusingthechancla.