9/4/18
By Chad Denke

I got a rare opportunity to have a date night with my wife this weekend without the four kids. Grandma was in town and I planned a dinner at the Melting Pot. A place that has some special memories for us.

Dinner was great and we actually had a good waiter. Which is like hitting the lotto these days. We gave the waiter our card.

When he got back, he had a strange look on his face. Then he set down a handwritten credit card slip. Kinda like the old days. Except it didn’t have the carbon on it and they didn’t have the manual swipe machine.

He immediately said “Our internet is down, and we have to charge your card using this. Will that be a problem?”. Jokingly I said, “Oh ya there ain’t no way I’m doing that”. The look on his face was priceless.

Well, you can talk to my manager if it’s a problem. It’s the only way we can do it. I know it seems fake, but it’s the only way. He said in a nervous voice.

No worries man. I said. This is how it used to be before we had the internet. How old are you I asked? 28 He said. I signed the paper and she shuffled off.

I turned and looked at my wife Michelle. Wow, he had no clue about what that slip was. He’s terrified that we thought they were trying to pull some scam on us.

He also had no clue about how things worked without a swipe machine. It was like a lost art.

It quickly dawned on me how technology has not only helped up but also has hampered us.

It gets in the way of learning the basic skills that we need. Why? Because when things fall apart you have the know how to improvise and get the job done. You need to be able to solve problems.

This reminded me of an article I read by Robert Glazer. He went to Europe over ten years ago with his wife. Smartphones weren’t around and they had to do things the old fashion way. Using a map, asking for directions, hitting language barriers and much more.

None of these challenges were life-threatening, however, they did require that they become resourceful. Stretching themselves to get to the destination that they wanted.

Providing vital skills on how to navigate through life and solving problems. These are skills you only get when you’re challenged by something.

Fifteen years later they returned to the same area and all they had to do was look at their phone. They didn’t need to interact with the culture and find people. They didn’t get the opportunity to experience anything else except for what was on that phone.

It just gave them a straight path to what they wanted. Making things easier but in turn, missing side paths and adventures that were created from the last time.

Technology is a lot like the movie the Matrix. Neo learns Jiu-Jitsu in a matter of seconds by plugging into a machine. Yes, he knows how to use it now. But he is not a master of it. Because he has no clue what the basics were to get him there.

It’s the basics that allow you to become a master. One question worth asking when using any new technology is… What am I missing out on by using it? It’s a different view but one worth asking.

I’ve tried to keep this in mind with social media these days, and the value driven approach. Yes, I write blogs, post articles and send out emails. Using them to connect with you more.

But I also try to pick up the phone from time to time to say hi. Sometimes I’ll send a video text. But I try to stay connected. I believe this is vital.

We are human. We need connection and we need experiences. If we hide behind things, they only prevent us from experiencing the things that could move us forward.

I believe everyone wants to move forward in life. We just need to understand the tools we are using to get there and not forget what it took to move forward in time. Incorporating both is a lifetime art.

Have a great week. Unshackle your chains.

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