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In my first phlog I mentioned that I had private "rant" Twitter account that I replaced with a Bash script that adds "posts" to a flat Markdown-formatted file. This works as a drop-in replacement for the private Twitter account I had, but I sometimes feel that something is still missing. I run into the same feeling when I see a full library of video games on a console or a seemingly-endless list of movies on Netflix.
What's missing, I think, is effort.
My parents were fluent in technology while I was growing up, and I began to use the family DOS machine from a very young age. Anyone who remembers DOS and earlier OSes remembers how difficult it was to get software running correctly, and how much knowledge was required to do anything more than the most basic tasks. It was a good feeling to find that a hardware upgrade had completed successfully, or a new video game was using the SoundBlaster card properly, or some server software was successfully connecting to the modem.
Modern technology is focused almost solely on convenience for the end user, be it cars with automatic transmissions, smartphones with opaque apps, or processed foods that require no preparation other than heating. This all leads to less effort being expended to complete one task or another--and I find that when the amount of effort goes down, the amount of satisfaction goes down too.
I've temporarily stopped using my journaling Bash script and have switched to pen and paper in the vein of a traditional journal. Maybe I'll buy a stick-shift car and unplug my microwave next.
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[Last updated: 2021-10-28]