I’ve long been an advocate of careful wisdom around newfangled technologies, no matter how cool. Thus, I’ve not become accustomed to using cellphones much, and despite the feeling that I absolutely have to have access to a GPS if I’m out on the road, I tend to stay away from untrustworthy “gifts” from the proverbial gift horse.
So what are we to do when the reports about the effects of certain wireless technologies on our human biology — our nervous and reproductive circuitry — upon which we depend for conscious enjoyment and regenerative capacities? When our lives have become wireless, when we don’t need cords anymore to connect us to the Internet or, in general, to our business and social connections, what are we to do about sustaining those connections in as real (rather than virtual) a way as possible? Or do we want to live a different kind of life, more separate from each other? Maybe that’s it.
But it’s too late to ban these technologies. Although cities in Europe and the United States have banned wireless technologies here and there — particularly cellphone towers — because of what they perceive as clear evidence of the dangers, we who live in places and have the kinds of lives that depend on those technologies — how do we support ourselves in our well-being? How do we make sure we will be healthy and not a burden on our families, our communities or ourselves? How do we make sure we will be able to produce healthy children and that we aren’t messing with Mother Nature just a bit beyond our ken?
I would love to see a forum in this city and the neighboring towns about intelligent balancing acts that add all the criteria into the planning zone when it comes to our communities and our neighborhoods. Please let’s not stop here!
— Arjuna da Silva
Black Mountain
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.