2 Types of People

I’ve had some interesting conversations recently that have led me to believe that there are two types of people.  {Actually, I am quite sure there are many more types than that, but discussing them would ruin this post.  Fair enough?}  Back on topic- there are two types of people.  Techies and tech-snobs.  Take me- I used to be a tech-snob.  I was sure there was a “right” way of doing things, a more natural, organic way that didn’t involve technology.  I was sure I didn’t need a typing class in high school {There were several attractive members of the opposite sex in the computer class that typing was a pre-req for.  Taking typing meant I had to drop the class with the cute boys.  To this day I hint and peck….I’ll let you guess what choice I made.} Case in point- think of Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail.  She had the cute little book shop and refused a computer in lieu of a type-writer.  That’s a tech-snob.  Purists.  {In their minds anyway}.

I said I was a tech-snob.  What changed?  I married and electrical engineer.  I should have known my tech-aversion was doomed when my husband-to-be started making spreadsheets to keep track of our registry.  Little by little, my husband wore me down and I now embrace technology as a help rather than a hindrance.

Two of my favorite tech-devices are GPS/Sat Navs and white noise generators.  We use both on a weekly, if not daily basis- for travel to new places and for sleep {in strange places and for the kids not to hear each other}.  This has drawn not a little attention from our nosey friends, who, if you must know, fall into 1 of 2 categories: techies or tech-snobs.  All the techies have also purchased Sat Navs  and sound machines and the tech-snobs are purists, sure that these devices defy nature and the way things are supposed to be.  They’ve brought up a few concerns I’d like to address:

• GPS/Sat Navs make you forget how to use a map.  This is ridiculous.  The main advantage Sat Navs have is helping you not get lost.  Whether it’s a clear map or a recalculation based on a wrong turn,  a GPS doesn’t erase your memories or abilities.  If you’d rather suck it up on a too-large, impossible to fold map in the car and get lost a lot, then more power to you.  But you’re not a purist- you’re a glutton for punishment.
• White noise generators just make more noise and make it to where you can’t fall asleep without them. I can only speak for my family, but we started using white noise because we were having trouble sleeping.  Now we don’t.  Plus, neither of my children struggles to sleep without white noise.  I use it to block their own noise from each other, but they are fine without it.

Lastly, if anyone is worried about not having a GPS or a sound machine on hand, I’d like to remind everyone how small and easily portable both devices are.  Even on incredibly restrictive flights, we’ve never had a problem packing either or toting them to a friend’s house.  Just sayin’…