A few years ago, we vacationed in rural Costa Rica. The village homes were poorly constructed and without modern conveniences. But the children ran, laughed, and played. The adults grouped around meager porches and exchanged gossip. Everyone seemed happy, content and not at all ill at ease in their lacking of modern technology. After reading, “The New Digital Age,” by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, I decided that perhaps I should re-examine the apparent lack of progress. Sure enough, cell phones were rampant.
Having grown up in the developed world, I never really considered the many benefits of this seemingly innocuous technology. In fact, it allowed the shops to place orders, enabled us to communicate seamlessly with our B and B host, and supplemented the education received at the small, three room shack at the center of the village.
As in the US, this technology transcended age, gender and economic wealth; everyone, young and old, black and white, was carrying a phone. I think this is a great example of being blinded by my own bias. I’ve grown so accustomed to encountering cellular technology in developing countries that I’ve accepted it as a basic staple of life, discounting the many avenues it opens. As I age, I think this is a scenario that I will continuously have to ponder, challenging myself every day to see the wonder in the world around me.
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