Out of Time

"You're obsolete my baby
My poor old-fashioned baby
I said baby, baby, baby you're out of time"
(Rolling Stones - Out Of Time)

Technology evolved a lot since Mick Jagger and Keith Jagger wrote the aforementioned song back in 1966. Back then, computers were essentially giant monsters of metal weighing several tons and sprawling through hundreds of square metres, and even things that are considered completely outdated today weren't invented, such as VHS tapes, CDs, Game cartridges and Walkmen, yet they were undoubtfully much more impacting and innovative than their replacements.

One can't deny technology made life easier. Now any $200 keyboard can generate the sound of the thousands of dollars Hammond organ used by the Stones 40 years ago, MP3 seems to be replacing every other sound distribution format, VHS has been virtually banned in new releases, thanks to the much cheaper to produce (and more lucrative to the industry, of course) and much easier to handle DVD and the last cartridge-based gaming console was officially discontinued in 2002.

And well, I must confess I have a trouble adapting myself to new technologies. Pretty ironic, since I study Engineering. But it's not that I don't use them, but I always feel it lacks "something". The ritual of navigating through a myriad of vinyl records, taking it out from the cover, blowing the dust away, putting it on the player, picking up the needle and then carefully placing it on the start of the desired track. Now you just navigate through your MP3 collection and press Play (or Enter, or double-click, or whatever). I think manipulating things, looking at the record sleeves, rewinding the tapes after finish listening or watching them, all of that is part of enjoyment.