Too Dependent on Technology?

Today it became apparent how dependent we can be on technology. I, for example, used my laptop to prepare materials for a presentation, my GPS to navigate to an appointment, and my iPod touch to listen to a few favorite tunes while on the road. I found I needed to make a call, and realized my battery icon was blinking on my cell phone, and I was without my charger. A feeling of panic set in while I went through scenarios in my head of how I was going to make the call to get the information I needed. I thought about buying a charger or asking if I could charge my phone for just a minute, or maybe asking to use a "land line" (ugh! who uses those anymore?) but realized the number I needed to call was in my non-accessible cell phone, and not in my head.  As I stood in downtown Portland looking around for a place that could possibly help, I realized I could just walk over to the corner market, use their wifi, and Skype my call. Success!

Then I got to thinking...what the heck would I have done without any of these technologies? The answer seemed too simple...I'd just ask someone. I would depend on good old human interaction. Though technologies can make life easier and more convenient, I think it's important to not depend on them too much. Like anything else, they can fail, which will leave you feeling lost and without options. A backup plan is always important. I think my default plan will be people.