Die Frage nach der Technik

Back in the days when I was a philosopher, I read a lot of Martin Heidegger. He was even part of my doctoral thesis. His reputation has taken a lot of hits due to investigations of his connection to National Socialism. And, like most German philosophers, you're not quite sure if he's difficult because he is deep or because he is confused.

Anyhoo, one of his pieces was the title for the post, "The Question Concerning Technology". And I have zero recollection of what it was about. I chose it because that's how my mind works: I just bought a television for the first time in almost 20 years. I am now the owner of a flat-screen LCD TV.

I have always been a TV watcher, but I hardly ever watch it without doing something else. In the old days, I used to read, too. Technology has now allowed me to combine my TV watching with my laptop use and my cellphone access. I realize I have become something of a cyborg. When my laptops have crashed --twice this year, once literally and once softwareishly--, I feel quite disconnected. If I leave the house with my phone, I likewise feel as if I have fallen into some kind of dead zone. And TV provides, as it has always done, a kind of visual white noise. Homo sapiens has always been defined by his tools.

I'm not the Six Million Dollar Man, with his literal technology, but I am something of consumer cyborg. I am sure I am damaging the environment... LOL.