Many things we take for granted are just tools to improve our lives.  These run the gamut from refrigerators to calculators.  Often these tools require materials like gas and electricity to work.

Over time many of these things from traffic lights to stoves become critical necessities.  Without them, problems ensue (e.g., massive traffic jams to hunger from lack of uncooked food).

Helpless

On the rare occasions when these critical support tools are not available, it can leave us feeling helpless.  We do not know what to do or how to proceed.

Earlier today Google calendar went offline worldwide.  This software used for managing both personal and corporate meeting management, on a multitude of devices from desktop to mobile phone,  was offline

A quick check of the internet is all that was needed to see the panic that ensued.  Without access to our daily schedules, purpose, attendance, and location of meetings and to do items, everything falls apart.

What did we do before Google calendar? How can can we meet or manage our to do lists without it.  A mornings productivity lost.  Haven’t you guys heard about auto-failover.

Dependent

My greatest fear is we will reach the point of no return.  That is loss of electrical or gas power and mis functioning software will become more than an inconvenience.

The higher our level of dependence on these support tools, the greater the potential for us to whither and die without them.  The entire premise of our lives is based on the availability of these critical tools.

Have we reached the point of unsupportable dependency?  Is the end near?