Friday, November 11, 2005

Eat, Sleep, Work, Consume, Die

“Stock-market capitalism is today’s coin of the realm, consumerism its handmaiden, and technology is the great enabler. You think technology benefits you because it gives you an easier row to hoe? Bollocks. The ease it provides is illusory. It has trapped you, made you a slave to things you don’t even need but suddenly can’t live without. So you rot in a cubicle trying to get the money to get the stuff, when you should be out walking in a meadow or wooing a lover or writing a song.” [Wired]

5 comments:

Christopher Blosser said...

Penned by a columnist known as "The Luddite" -- how appropriate. =)

On the other hand, capitalism and technology -- like the Internet -- has also brought into fruition a vast number of incredible projects, such as this blog and the many friendships acquired as a result . . . I wouldn't be typing this note today if not for the good folks at Dell. (I suppose I ought to thank Al Gore as well).

On the other hand, this weekend I plan on taking a hike through Forest Park to see the changing leaves on the Autumn trees.

Christopher Blosser said...

The rhyme was unintentional.

Fr. D.L. Jones said...

Thanks Christopher for your comments. I agree. Enjoy the park!

Fred said...

The requirement of having to use technology to criticize technology has been called Ong's law. The irony is at least as old as Plato's Ninth letter.

Scott said...

Here is an excellent poem by Wendell Berry critiquing capitalism and technology. The poem is entitled,"The Manifesto of the Mad Farmer Liberation Front." Quite an excellent poem.