My mom used to feel like the female voice in her GPS was scolding her when it (per her ears) said, “Recalculating…”
She switched to the guy’s voice because he is “less judgmental.” 🤣
I agree with you about less wandering - and think there’s a whole other bunch of essays to be written not just about learned helplessness but blind faith. I have met people mired in snow trying to get over a mountain pass in a sedan on an unplowed road because their “GPS told them to go that way” - a route that would have been very difficult in the summer with a 4WD vehicle and is impassable in the winter except on skis or sled. 🛷
So true! I did this recently on an unfamiliar route to Canada, getting off the highway because the GPS said to, and finding myself driving on dark back roads for 3 hours before I found my way back to civilization! Lesson learned about trusting the GPS absolutely. However, I do appreciate that "re-routing" function, especially in confusing city driving.
Intentional, safe wandering, the way I used to do in the woods as a child when I followed the old stone walls to see where they led--that is a magical experience that more kids should have.
I really hear you and agree with you on all of this, Jennifer. I've discovered so many things by accident, looking for other things. I think we miss that a lot in this new, pre-programed, currated, designed, planned out world. Ugh. How do we get it back?
It's very difficult to break out of the algorithm in the age of AI search. Sometimes I try to browse Amazon as if I were walking through a physical bookstore, but it's hard, especially with all the AI-generated junk books polluting the virtual aisles. I appreciated Elle's advice to network through Substack, I am going to try more of that!
I can so relate what what you write. While in my graduate education (in the late 80's early 90's) I would go looking for the needed journal articles. Then I would get side tracked by looking at volume 1 or some other title that caught my interest, or simply looking in a completely different aisle of the stacks. I know that getting lost in other scientific literature was not immediately productive but I value what that taught me now. I actually asked our university librarians if there is a way to mimic that today where you have journals mechanically retrieved for you. They couldn't find a way! I'll keep looking for some way to get lost again however.
I really do love my GPS. But it doesn't allow you to see the big picture the way a paper map used to, with the result that we don't get to know places in the same way. I still appreciate paper maps, or at least the zoom-out function of google maps....
Re the Icelandic horse, oh my, that was such an incredible day. Talk about being drawn out into the sky!
My mom used to feel like the female voice in her GPS was scolding her when it (per her ears) said, “Recalculating…”
She switched to the guy’s voice because he is “less judgmental.” 🤣
I agree with you about less wandering - and think there’s a whole other bunch of essays to be written not just about learned helplessness but blind faith. I have met people mired in snow trying to get over a mountain pass in a sedan on an unplowed road because their “GPS told them to go that way” - a route that would have been very difficult in the summer with a 4WD vehicle and is impassable in the winter except on skis or sled. 🛷
So true! I did this recently on an unfamiliar route to Canada, getting off the highway because the GPS said to, and finding myself driving on dark back roads for 3 hours before I found my way back to civilization! Lesson learned about trusting the GPS absolutely. However, I do appreciate that "re-routing" function, especially in confusing city driving.
Intentional, safe wandering, the way I used to do in the woods as a child when I followed the old stone walls to see where they led--that is a magical experience that more kids should have.
I really hear you and agree with you on all of this, Jennifer. I've discovered so many things by accident, looking for other things. I think we miss that a lot in this new, pre-programed, currated, designed, planned out world. Ugh. How do we get it back?
It's very difficult to break out of the algorithm in the age of AI search. Sometimes I try to browse Amazon as if I were walking through a physical bookstore, but it's hard, especially with all the AI-generated junk books polluting the virtual aisles. I appreciated Elle's advice to network through Substack, I am going to try more of that!
The art of getting lost - a lost art perhaps. It's even a bit difficult to get lost in the moment these days, with our constant on-call phones...
On point here with your perspective, as usual.
I love this turn of phrase, Marisa! The art of getting lost is becoming a lost art, indeed! We have to keep it alive!
I can so relate what what you write. While in my graduate education (in the late 80's early 90's) I would go looking for the needed journal articles. Then I would get side tracked by looking at volume 1 or some other title that caught my interest, or simply looking in a completely different aisle of the stacks. I know that getting lost in other scientific literature was not immediately productive but I value what that taught me now. I actually asked our university librarians if there is a way to mimic that today where you have journals mechanically retrieved for you. They couldn't find a way! I'll keep looking for some way to get lost again however.
It says a lot, doesn't it, that we have to artificially create the conditions for getting lost in the library! Sigh...
GPS...oh yes, it took me to the opposite direction I wanted to travel - I was able to see ares of Portland I'd not previously explored.
The photo the back of the Icelantic horse's head in alignment with the lenticular cloud is spectacular. I was drawn into it for several minutes.
I really do love my GPS. But it doesn't allow you to see the big picture the way a paper map used to, with the result that we don't get to know places in the same way. I still appreciate paper maps, or at least the zoom-out function of google maps....
Re the Icelandic horse, oh my, that was such an incredible day. Talk about being drawn out into the sky!