CarolinaOchoa

Prof.Erin
AudioEssayRewrite
31415
Technology:TheGood,theBad,andtheUgly
Iwasinthe6thgradewhenIgotmyfirstcomputer.ItwasanHPwithagigantic,
flatscreendesktopmonitorandablackkeyboard.Myfamilycouldneveraffordsucha
thing.Esunlujoquenosotrosnonecesitamos.Itsanunnecessaryluxury,asmymom
wouldsay.Butthatchanged,everythingchanged.
ItallchangedwhenIwasgivenmyfirstwrittenassignmentformyEnglishclass.
However,tomysurprise,thepaperwasnottobehandwritten.Iwantyoualltouseyour
computersandtypethisassignment.Wereinthemodernagenowanditstimetoget
withtheprogram,myEnglishteacherbarkedtotheclasswhenIaskedherifblueor
blackinkwasacceptable.IwishedtheEarthhadjustswallowedmerightthenandthere.
ItneveroccurredtomethatIwastheonlyoneinmyclasswithoutacomputer.Ifeltlike
acavemanamongstallthesescientistsandtheirfancycomputers.Iwantedtobelike
everyoneelse.Thekidsinmyclasswereonthesamepagewiththedigitalage,whileI
wasleftbehindintheStoneAge.MyfriendswereallonMysSpaceandYouTubewhileI
wasstillondinosaurphonesandCDplayers;butthatchanged,onceIhadmyHP
computer.Igainedaccesstothenewworldofexcitementandwonderofcomputers,and
Iwasreadytoexplore.
Fastforwardtomyfreshmanyearofhighschool,whenmyhoopearringswereas
bigasmyfaceandmyhairwascurlyandslatheredinhairgel.MySpacewasdead.
Facebookwasin.Peoplewerepostingtheirlivesonawallandconversationswere

typedinsteadofspoken.Interactionsbecamedigitized.Despiteallthis,computersand
technologydidntappearasanissuetome.Infact,theyweresolutions.Myhistoryclass
homeworktookminutesinsteadofanhourthankstoGoogleanditslightenfastsearch
engine.Stayingintouchwithmyfriend,Maria,whomovedtoCalifornia,waseasier
thankstoFacebook.Computersdidntseembadtome.Theywereanally,afriend.There
wasnothingwrongwiththem.
Fastforwardtomyjunioryearofhighschool,whenInolongerworehoop
earrings,myhairwasstraight,andpassingpapernoteswerereplacedbytextmessages.
Everythingwasmodernizing.Inwiththenew,outwiththeold,justlikewithmyfirst
computer.MyfirstHPcomputerwasreplacedwithanewlaptop.OnceIhadawhiffof
thatnewlaptopsmell,Iwasinlove.IwassomuchinlovethatIdidntnoticehowmuch
timeIspentonmylaptop.IwasunawarethatIchoseTwitterovermyfamily;thatI
cancelledplanswithfriendsjusttolieinbed,hypnotizedbymyPinterestboard.Iwas
blindedtothefactthatmydayrevolvedaroundmyshiny,newlaptop.
Iwasfallingintothevortexofbeingdisconnectedfromtheactualworldand
beingpluggedintothevirtualworld,butIdidntevenknowit.Therealizationofit
crasheddownonmewhenmyfamilysInternetwascutofffortwoweeks,leavingmy
laptoputterlyuseless.Iwasdisconnected,pissedoff,andgoingthroughvirtual
withdrawal.Duringthefirstweek,IscrambledaroundtryingtogetahitoftheInternet
wheneverpossible.Myfamilyborethebruntofmyfury.Iunleashedmyrageand
aggressionunjustlyonthem.OnceIhadreachedfullblownbitchmode,Isawthatthere
wasaproblem.

ThisepiphanyofminesappearedwhenmymomandIwerefighting.Whatdo
youwantmetodo?!Ineedtouseacomputerthatactuallyworks!Isnappedatmymom
assheaskedmewhereIwasheading.Itwasabout10oclockatnightandIwasgoingto
useafriend'scomputer,unabletoremainawayfrommypreciousInternet.Mymom
prohibitedmetoleavethehouse.Yaesmuytardeparasalir.Itwastoolatetobeout,
shesaid.Ifyoureallycaredaboutme,thenyoudletmego!Oratleastwouldhave
marriedsomebodycapableoffixingthisstupidproblem!Wearguedforanothercouple
ofminutes.Idontrememberwhatelsewassaid,Ijustrememberpunchingthewhite,
metalfrontdoorbeforetakingmycarkeysandstormingoutofthehouse;butIdidnt
driveoff.Isatinmycarwithtearsgushingdownmyface,chokingonsobs.
Whatpossessedmetoactthatwaytowardsmyownmom?WhendidIbecome
thiscomputeraddict?Iwassouprootedintothewaysofthevirtualworld,thatIlost
touchwiththeactualworld.MyactionsdisgustedmeandIrefusedtocontinueallowing
myselftobedependentuponcomputersortechnology.
AsIwipedmytearswiththesleeveofmyshirt,Inoticedmyshiny,newlaptop
besidemeinthepassengersseat.Itlaidtheremotionless,unabletosootheme,unableto
givemewhatItrulyneeded.Needlesstosay,Ididnotgotomyfriendshouse.Iwent
backtomyhousewithpuffyeyesandapologizedtomymom.Shegentlyhuggedme,
andasshestrokedmyhair,shesaidtome,Iloveyou,micorazon.Butifyoueverlet
somethingastrivialasyourlaptopgetbetweenus,Imusingthechancla.