Look, I’ve Been Around the Block
Let me tell you something, folks. I’ve been editing tech articles since before the turn of the millennium. That’s right, I remember the dial-up days. The screeching, the waiting, the… ugh. But I digress.
I’ve seen alot of changes in tech. Some good, some bad. And right now? I’m kinda worried. About AI, mostly. It’s like everyone’s lost their damn minds over it. So, let’s talk about that. And other stuff. Because I can.
AI: The Hype Train Is Out of Control
Honestly, I’m so tired of the AI hype. It’s like everyone forgot that these things are still basically fancy calculators. Remember when Marcus (let’s call him that) from the tech conference in Austin last year said, “AI is gonna solve world hunger”? I laughed so hard I choked on my coffee.
“Marcus,” I said, “it’s still committment to an idea, not actual intelligence.” He looked at me like I was speaking Greek. Which, frankly, I might as well have been. Because people don’t wanna hear the truth. They wanna hear about how AI is gonna make their lives easier, their jobs obsolete, their coffee better.
But look, I’m not saying AI isn’t useful. It is. It can write decent articles (hey, I’m looking at you, WordPress editor), it can analyze data, it can even beat you at chess. But it’s not magic. It’s math. And math is dumb. It’s just… yeah. Math.
Gadgets: The More Things Change…
Speaking of dumb, let’s talk gadgets. I swear, every year it’s the same song and dance. “This year’s iPhone is thinner!” “This year’s tablet is lighter!” “This year’s smartwatch can now tell you when you’re gonna die!”
I remember when Dave, a colleague named that, showed me the latest gadget. It was a smart toaster. A smart toaster. It could toast your bread and tell you the weather. “Dave,” I said, “I don’t need my toast to tell me it’s raining. I can look out the window.” He didn’t get it. Nobody does.
But here’s the thing. Gadgets are fun. They’re shiny. They’re new. And sometimes, they’re actually useful. But they’re not gonna change your life. They’re not gonna make you happier. They’re just… things. And things are overrated.
And don’t even get me started on the lifestyle tips daily improvement crowd. “Oh, just download this app and it’ll change your life!” No. No, it won’t. It’ll just take your money and give you a headache.
A Quick Tangent: The Internet Is a Dumpster Fire
You wanna know what’s really dumb? The internet. It’s a sewer. A dumpster fire. A… well, you get the idea. It’s full of idiots. And I should know, I’ve been editing online content for 20 years. I’ve seen the worst of it.
Remember when trolls were just annoying? Now they’re a way of life. And don’t even get me started on the echo chambers. It’s like everyone’s stuck in their own little bubble, and nobody can agree on anything. It’s exhausting.
But hey, at least we’ve got cats. And memes. And… oh, look, a squirrel.
Cybersecurity: Lock Your Doors, Folks
Okay, back to tech. Cybersecurity. It’s a big deal. A huge deal. A deal so big that it’s kinda scary. Because nobody’s safe. Not you, not me, not even the guy who invented the internet (hi, Tim Berners-Lee, if you’re reading this).
I was talking to a friend last Tuesday. Over coffee. At that place on 5th. You know the one. Anyway, she told me about how her bank got hacked. “They said my information was safe,” she said. “But then they said it wasn’t. And now I have to change all my passwords again.”
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s the world we live in now.” It’s a world where you can’t trust anyone. Not even your own bank. So lock your doors, folks. Literally and figuratively.
And for the love of all that’s holy, use a password manager. I don’t care if you think you can remember all your passwords. You can’t. And if you’re using “password” as your password, well, you’re part of the problem.
Final Thoughts: We’re All Gonna Die
Look, I’m not trying to be a downer. But someone’s gotta say it. Tech is great. It’s fun. It’s shiny. But it’s not a magic bullet. It’s not gonna solve all our problems. It’s not gonna make the world a better place. It’s just… tech.
So let’s all take a step back. Let’s enjoy the shiny things. But let’s not forget that they’re just things. And things break. And sometimes, they break us.
And on that cheerful note, I’m out. You’re welcome.
About the Author: Sarah “Salty” Jenkins has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s seen it all, done it all, and has the caffeine addiction to prove it. When she’s not editing, she’s probably complaining about the internet or trying to teach her cat to fetch. She lives in Austin with her overgrown dog and a collection of half-dead houseplants.
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