We are the Borg

     The Borg of Star Trek live among us.  Humanoids are dependent on electronic devices to work and play.  People walk, eat and even drive with gadgets attached to their bodies to maintain connection to others in the Collective.

     Few people who appear to be talking to themselves have imaginary pals.  Most are speaking on cell phones with reception not limited by distance, but by the number of bars indicating signal strength.  Young people do not even use their voice to communicate, they text entire conversations with their thumbs.  When teachers accept homework assignments via texting, students’ grades will improve. 

     A conversation coming from the stall in a public restroom does not mean it has multiple occupants.  The person is multi-tasking by tending to a call from nature and maybe a conference call at the same time. 

     Fans at sporting events or concerts, diners in restaurants, even couples on dates split their attention between what is happening in front of them and with the various devices they carry to stay up to date.

     Is resistance to the Borg futile?  No, we can unplug from the Collective and exercise our individuality.  Before telephones and computers became portable, people managed to live, love and prosper without logging in or remembering multiple passwords.  I am not advocating we boycott technology, just that we use it as intended, as a means to improve our world not to control it and us.