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FleshFactor: RE: Re: re: brief comments (geek love)
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A E C F O R U M - "F L E S H F A C T O R"
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>Jules Marshall comments, "what might it take for our computers (or
>anything else mass produced and replaceable) to be invested with a
>similar degree of emotional attachment? >
OK, you struck a nerve.
I must admit: while I don't always feel like I'm evolving, or even
enhancing myself with machines, I have formed deep relationships with
some of them. Could I say that I love them? Hmmmm.
Let me tell you a little story.
Once apon a time, while out shopping for guitar effects (an activity that
I am hopelessly addicted to), I came upon a shiny, little six string
electric number. It was very different than the G&L strat style. It had a
locking tremolo system! (if you're not into guitars, don't worry. This is
irrelevant.) I wanted this new slick piece of machinery. I didn't have the
cash to buy it outright, but with the trade of my 10-year old G&L and a
$100, the salesman told me that it was mine.
I had just made an unexpected $100 engineering the sound at a wedding
ceremony the day before. It had to be fate.
Having made the trade, soon after I began to have my doubts. I realized
that what I thought was love, was just lust. My relationship with this
new instrument left me wanting more. Much more. More of what, I do not
know. I began to feel like what someone must feel when they leave a
marriage for the younger, prettier "model", and realize that it was a
mistake. I tried to ignore it for a month, but it was driving me
crazy. I became obsessed with my old guitar. I talked about it all the
time. I visited it at the shop to see if anyone had bought it. I was
coming undone. I was driving my girlfriend crazy. People were
commenting that I seemed depressed. All for a guitar? A hunk of wood,
metal and plastic? How could this be? After all, the new guitar had a
*LOCKING TREMOLO*. In fact, there was absolutely no discernible reason
for me to miss my old guitar.
I went back and traded the new one back for the old one. I felt like some
weight had been lifted. I felt great. It took a little re-adjusting to
get used to my old pal, but after a few hours it felt great. I vowed
never to do anything like that again. Although now, my main guitar is a
poly-carbonite resin, electronicly active pick-up, transtrem-sporting,
technologically advanced little baby, I will never get rid of that G&L. I
still take her out and play her, from time to time.
It still feels great. (even though my poly-carbonite model is much
better in almost every way) Am I like the guy that keeps all the old
versions of netscape? Is my guitar just "data" that I can't seem to
part with? It feels almost as if there is some sort of spirit embodied
in that crazy little machine. Have I mentally grown around it, like a
tree grows around a chain link fence, or a child's treehouse? Have I
evolved into something that cannot operate properly without it? Maybe.
All I know is that I'm looking (almost unhealthily) forward to the next
Macintosh operating system that's due out at the end of this month.
....and I feel crazy.
Mark Sottilaro
<msottila@mailbox.syr.edu>
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