 by Joel Tucker
What is it about a computer keyboard that attracts cats? Maybe it's only my keyboard, or just my cat. Whatever it is, I can't go 20 minutes at the computer without that darn cat trouncing on the keyboard, leaving typos and a lost train of thought in her wake. I wonder if it's the same force that makes the dog hang out under my feet, tail flopping precariously into the path of a rolling office chair. My children seem drawn to the thing as well. Do they really care about that blinking cursor, or is there something about the sound of a spinning hard disk that gets their attention? No, that can't be it. They don't give the computer a second thought when it's just a humming disk and a lazy screen saver. But the minute I actually start using it, here comes the cat, the dog and the kids. Maybe it's the information that draws them. Just try reading the newspaper on the floor and see if the cat doesn't sit on it. Read a good book in an easy chair and see if the dog doesn't curl up under your feet. Try to watch a little television and see if the kids don't start hanging around. No matter how you get your information, there are dogs, cats and children out to make sure you don't. Pointless? Maybe not. Maybe we can learn something when this distraction attraction goes hand-in-hand with news and information. What makes information more attractive when a person tries to acquire it? The answer, of course, is nothing. It isn't the information that's attractive; it's the person. Most people can draw cats, dogs, children and other loved ones near by simply sitting still. When you read, run a computer or watch television, you're pretty much stuck in one place until you change activities. I have seen joggers reading, but not many. Their thing is radio, and they have to strap speakers to their heads to keep out distractions. When you consume information at home, you're almost always in one spot for a while. Sit still long enough and your children will know what you look like. Your husband or wife will remember your name. Even the cat will settle down if you break for a minute to scratch her head. But none of this will happen if you're constantly shooing people and pets away when they get between you and your information. Everyone agrees that reading is a noble pastime. I might even contend that television and the Internet deliver worthwhile information. How often do your children have something important to say as well? If they're lucky, you treat them like everything they say is important. In the bargain, you actually hear them when they have big news, an insightful comment or a serious problem. We read the paper, surf the web or watch the news with such intensity. People who consume less information than I do are out of touch. Those who consume more are habitual or even obsessed. I am squarely between the extremes, perfectly balanced in my pursuit of knowledge. Meanwhile, the cat dances on the keyboard, making herself quite a nuisance. I try to get up and nearly trip over the dog. It's just as well. The kids want to play ball, and I just don't feel up to it. I better surf the Web and see how the stocks are doing. After all, it's important to keep track of your investments. Send your questions or comments by mail to this newspaper or by e-mail to jt@bootup.com. |
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