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Letter to the Editor

Last year the car we had finally came to an end. It died. Although it may have been just resting, there wasn't much we could do to convince it to wake up and move again. So we bit the bullet and decided to buy another car. A used car. Why pay money for a new car, when it just loses so much of its value as soon as you drive off the dealer lot?

So we went out looking. Over the years, this has become a familiar ritual, and one of the key problems we encounter is whether or not to buy a car with an automatic or manual transmission. Those new-fangled transmissions don't seem all that reliable, really, and there's a lot to be said for having control over which gear to use.

Then there's the whole problem of air-conditioning. You have to figure that all that extra work the engine has to do probably isn't good for it, right? Maybe when they work out the bugs, it'll be okay, but for now it's worrisome. Still, it can get pretty hot in the car on a summer afternoon.

We're still thinking about it.

Then there's this whole idea of computers. Why can't we just use paper and pens, like we used to? They didn't break, didn't need expensive repairs, and you could carry a piece of paper anywhere. And you didn't need electricity to read a piece of paper!

I hate computers.

The thing is, I ended up getting a computer because I wanted to find out where to buy things as cheaply as possible. It cost money for the machine, then money for an Inner Net connection, but those are one-time costs. So I bought a computer, finally, back in '85.

Now it turns out I'm going to have to buy more computer stuff! Every place I go on the Web, I have to wait and wait for pictures to load up. Who cares? Do I really need pictures? Why can't things be the way they were, when my 14.4KB modem was just fine!

Meanwhile, my record player had a problem with the needle, not too long ago. Have you tried to find a needle these days? I went to store after store, and nobody even knew what a record player is! What's with that? Doesn't anybody listen to music anymore?

It's not that I'm against progress. I'm for it, actually, just not so much of it all the time. Why can't we have a little bit of progress, then take a break and enjoy it? Does it have to come all at once?

I remember when they started putting electricity in people's homes. It didn't happen all at once, and we had a chance to get used to it. Like replacing the ice box. We could buy a refrigerator for a good price, and it lasted for a decent amount of time! Not these days, though. Nothing lasts!

The other day I noticed a tear in a pair of jeans I've had for awhile. I think I got them at Woolworth's, let's see...that would've been back around '74. I really like those jeans, but do they last? Of course not! It's that planned obsolescence thing! Get the stuff you buy to fall apart, and you'll be forced to buy more stuff!

I'd like to see if we can't get together to slow down all this progress nonsense the young kids are always coming up with. Do we really need to go faster and faster all the time? Can't we just slow down and relax once in awhile? Maybe working through this group, some of us older folks with some respect for smelling the flowers as we go through life, can make a difference.