Monday, April 6, 2009

Bowing Down To Technology

The Sony CD Player... Gone With The Wind :(

My uncle always told me, "Never pay for what you don't want. Never let anyone talk you into parting with your hard earned cash for something you either don't need or really don't want." He's been dead now for close to 34 years and yet, his spirit was right there in Best Buy with me this afternoon.

I wrote a post last year about our lack of choice as consumers and how businesses are forcing their new technology on us whether we want it or not by limiting the choices we have. Sunday morning, my wife and I decided to venture out and get some breakfast. After eating a delicious meal, she suggested that we drive out to Best Buy and pick up another DVD player because our original one went on the fritz a while ago.

I saw several cheap ones by Memorex and some "no name" companies and I decided to pass on them. Then, I saw one by Sony. I asked the sales clerk about it and it turns out that they had a big sale yesterday and the only thing they had left was display models for sale. He mentioned that the particular DVD player that I was interested in had been returned by a customer. At that moment, I looked up and there was my uncle... in his leather jacket and his hat looking at me, shaking his finger, and turning his head from side to side.

I ignored his ghost and asked the sales clerk why it was returned. He told me that he didn't know but, it passed "all of their tests for resale." He then told me that there was no box for it and that the customer didn't return the remote but, he could sell me a universal remote. I saw my uncle's ghost again and with a stern look on his face, he said... "You better not go for the okey doke, boy. What did I teach you?" So, I told the clerk thanks but, no thanks.

I also wanted a new CD player and, as much as I don't like them, I was going to get a five disc CD changer, if that's all they had. We were told that they were all gone and companies aren't manufacturing them anymore. So, I said to the salesperson... "But, you sell CD's so, how are people supposed to listen to them if you don't sell the equipment to play them?" He pointed to some "boom boxes" and small CD systems that you could use on your desk at the office. He then told me that you can play CDs on a DVD player. I had heard enough so, we left Best Buy.

I went to K-Mart, which wasn't any better. Then, I went to a Target and decided to buy a Blu Ray disc player. The salesperson there informed me that, if I didn't have an HDTV, I would be wasting my time and money buying a Blu Ray disc player. (No, I haven't gotten around to getting an HDTV yet. I don't have a flat screen TV either but, my mother-in-law has one.) Again, I saw my uncle looking at me and nodding his head in agreement. So, I decided not to get the Blu Ray disc player.

Then, the salesmen helped us to find an affordable DVD player that met our needs and played CDs. I also saw a three-CD system that I might purchase in the future. I went on and purchased the DVD player and I saw my Uncle waving goodbye and slowly vanishing into... well, wherever the dead go after they've made sure you're alright.

It angers me that my choices are so limited and that someone somewhere made the decision that I will either have the products they deem I need or I'll just be up the brown creek. It angers me that the "corporate powers that be" expect me to just toss away perfectly good equipment that I spent my hard earned cash on every time they decide to invent something else, regardless of the hardship on my wallet.

I guess "they" want me to stop buying CDs and download all my music onto an iPOD... that's cute but, I really don't like to download music. I spend enough time on my computer blogging and Facebooking. If I spend time downloading all of my music, I might not eat dinner, I might miss my favorite television shows, and I might not get up in time to go to work. It seems as if I'm just ranting to the wind and that, in time, I'll have to bow to technology just like all of the other drones we as a society are slowly becoming.

19 comments:

Jillian said...

yes...you will eventually have to succumb to the technology gods...and fall in line with the rest of the consumers...LOL

i don't have an ipod...to this day i've never owned one...sad i know but what can i say...i'm sure eventually i'll get one lol..i can't remember the last time i bought a CD...because yes, everyone downloads music now...but i feel the same way you do about downloading so i rarely do that as well..

glad you at least made it back home with a new DVD player as intended!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK KEITH!!

Sean said...

Bow down to technology brother-lol.

Toni said...

Awwwww Keith...Downloading and IPODs aren't that bad...In time you'll grow to love the fact that you'll have more space.

Angie B. said...

I know how you feel keith, but I went on and got several IPODs...I
download all of my music now. I even bought a IPOD Dock with large speakers so I can listen at home. It won't be so bad.

James Perkins said...

I know how you feel Keith, but what are you gonna do? Hell ,I still have vinyl lps and cassettes.

Simon Bastion said...

Modern Life,eh?

Sunflower said...

Lolololol....This was satire at it's best Keith...Your Uncle's Ghost?? That was hillarious!

Cheryl said...

I love this and I understand.

Jazzy said...

I feel you brother...I still listen to my vinyl jazz lps..and I have hundreds of CD's...I am now trying to download my entire catalog on my IPOD...(Yeah,I broke
down and bought one.)

Grover Tha Playboy said...

Got to stay up on the latest technology Keith!

Tate2 said...

Bow Down My brother,Bow down-lolol.
I'm kidding keith, I feel you..I have so many CD's, it's not funny. I live in fear of my CD player going on the fritz.

Swaggie said...

Hey Keith, Downloading music aint so bad...I only download the track of a CD that I like...now I don't have to have the entire thing.

Halo said...

All I do is download music...I haven't purchased a CD in about two years.

Vanessa said...

Your story had me laughing and crying at the same time...Even though I have several ipods...I own a lot of CD's too, so I know where you're coming from.

Lisa said...

I don't buy music...Well I rarely buy music..I listen to Satelite Radio or music on my computer or Laptop.

Captain Jack said...

I know what you mean...I have Vinyl,Cassettes and CD's....I don't know what I'm going to do soon.

Rich Fitzgerald said...

Yeah, they got the game and gone. I still have cassettes that I haven't listened to in years and I haven't missed them enough to buy the entire collection in the downloadable format.

I also still have movies on VHS and go figure, my players stopped working. I was going to buy that dual player but simply decided against it. There's always blockbuster online.

Anonymous said...

I download music but I love having the cd just the same.

Angel said...

You made an important note here Keith...Everytime something new comes out they expect us to toss out the perfectly good old one.

Becuase I hardly watch TV I havent brought a flatscreen yet. In fact the TV in my house was my fathers, he died 9 years ago and when he had it trust me it was old then, its massive with a huge stand and so OLD all guests hate it but then I laugh and tell them, did you come to see me or watch TV.

When it breaks I will get a new one..but not until that day.

Oh and new stuff doesnt last 1 year let alone 9




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