Can Modern Life Sometimes Be a Bit Too Convenient ?

[mongers]

Heard a nice story on the radio today, in an interview with Martin Carthy, the famous folk musician he scotched the story that he and Bob Dylan once shared a flat. 

But he did tell this story, on a cold English winter day, Dylan came around for a cup of tea, because they didn't have any firewood, Carthy and wife had earlier started cutting up an old, useless piano.
Initially Dylan 'protested' you couldn't do that to a musical instrument, but once it's condition was pointed out, he set about dismantling it with gusto, probably because the only thing they had to cut it up with was a samurai sword!   


All that to just make a cup of tea, now we just flick a switch, presto, boiling water a minute or two later.

So my question is, do you find any aspects of modern life, just a bit too convenient ?

Or are you happy the way things are, flicking switches being the order of the day ?

[Syt]

Actually, there's not enough switches yet. I want teleporters, dammit!

[alfred russel]

Even way back in the 60s, I don't think you typically had to cut up a piano for firewood in order to get a cup of tea.

[Ed Anger]

Even way back in the 60s, I don't think you typically had to cut up a piano for firewood in order to get a cup of tea.

In England you did.

[mongers]

Even way back in the 60s, I don't think you typically had to cut up a piano for firewood in order to get a cup of tea.

Back then my granny used to buy poor sets of chairs at the salesroom/auctions, to break up for firewood.   

[Tamas]

Even way back in the 60s, I don't think you typically had to cut up a piano for firewood in order to get a cup of tea.

That would have been my point exactly. Then again, being a musician on drugs must make other aspects of life (eg. making tea) more difficult.

And no, we cannot get too convenient.

[mongers]

Who knew so much of Languish was colourblind. 

[Grey Fox]

No, conveniance is a staple of modern western society.

Find you have too much convenience in your life? Just make some food from scratch.

[derspiess]

Dunno, I think dead piano firewood and a sword for choppin' sound pretty convenient.

I had to climb up on a ladder with a chainsaw to cut down my firewood.

[mongers]

Dunno, I think dead piano firewood and a sword for choppin' sound pretty convenient.

I had to climb up on a ladder with a chainsaw to cut down my firewood.

Was that before or after you took up the hobby of chainsaw juggling?   

[Tamas]

Dunno, I think dead piano firewood and a sword for choppin' sound pretty convenient.

I had to climb up on a ladder with a chainsaw to cut down my firewood.

Axe, on the ground for me.  Granted, I did not do it that much, so if I started again I would run the chance of hitting my feet, initially.

[Sheilbh]

Yes.

[Malthus]

Anyone who thinks modern life is too convienient should spend a couple of weeks at my parent's cottage (US: "cabin").

No effete modern conveiniences there - if you want heat, you chop firewood; if you want water, you pump it by hand into a bucket and carry the bucket up the hill to the cottage. If you want light, you pour kerosene into a lamp, carefully adjust the mantle, and light it, keeping an eye on the mantle so it does not carbonize and burn the place down. If you want to go to the toilet at night, you use a chamber pot (which then needs washing the next day) or walk in the dark to the outhouse. If you want a bath, there is the lake. For vegitables, there is a small gardan, requiring work to maintain.

It is amazing how much of one's time is spent simply arranging to exist.

It is my dad's notion of paradise, but not really mine  ... though the setting makes up for the primitive facilities.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I was just about to say that a lot of touristic activities support mongers' hypothesis 

A fortnight at the cabin would be just about perfect to remind one of modern conveniences.

[Malthus]

I can tell you right now which modern convenience one misses the most when it is removed - hot and cold running water from the tap.

There is nothing but nothing more annoyingly labour-intensive than dealing with water by hand.