You know, I have had the same alarm clock for over ten years and I must say that I am impressed. I mean, I never would have thought, ten years ago, that my alarm clock would still be working today. I think we underestimate and undervalue just how important these everyday devices help our lives function. My alarm clock does two things for me and it does them well: it tells me the time, and it wakes me up. Those two functions are crucially important to me, and I unwittingly rely on a device that’s 10 years old that I bought for six bucks at a retail store to do them for me!

I place trust in this technology, we all do, and expect it to function as intended and without question. This technology is only a tool–only a means to an end. I am reminded of the old cartoon The Jetsons and how everyone on the show is dependent on technology.