That Little Voice
That Little Voice
Instant gratification seems to be a growing need I am buying into, and that is undermining my sanity.
When I get a phone call or an email or a text or a knock on the door, I am motivated to answer immediately. Actually, I’m more than motivated, something inside me says I am required to drop anything and everything I am doing and respond NOW.
Have I always been this driven to act on the demands of others? Probably, but in the past I haven’t had so many ways of being contacted. If I was out of the house I didn’t hear the phone ring. And if I wasn’t sitting out on my front porch swing people seldom knocked on my door.
But with the invention of the Internet, my gosh, time without demands seems to be less available.
I admit, others are not the only ones wanting information quickly. When I make a call or send something via Facebook, Twitter, or email I want an answer pronto. I do not send a message and want to wait for a return letter in a week or two. We all are being programmed to spend a minimum of time contemplating what we want to say or giving much thought to an answer. The lack of deliberation probably diminishes profound and deliberate consideration of ideas and options, meaning often our thinking is shallow and trivial.
That is a scary thought on one hand, but also beneficial on another. For instance, when someone sends a message for help, you want immediate action. However, if you are wanting to know how to handle climate control, you would like a more in depth reply. And in depth replies take a bit of thought, analysis, and research, meaning you aren’t going to get an email back in 10 minutes worth reading.
What does the need to get answers to your questions or feedback about your product in seconds mean to the world of tomorrow? Will we have a need to implant a computer in our brains that is hooked directly into Wikipedia or Alexa or Seri? The response may be quick, but do we want to rely on its accuracy?
Who knows, but I wouldn’t be surprised at what the results will be of our desire for instant gratification or instant knowledge or instant change. No wonder my sanity may be in question. Just thinking about my grandchildren walking around spouting out answers to questions that haven’t even been asked challenges my ability to cope. There is relief for me: I have no grandchildren, and at 80 I probably won’t live to see it unless it happens in the very near future.
Aging does have some advantages.