What do you think of this short story I wrote about where the tolls of technology are headed? If you read it, thanks!
The class had gathered in their seats. There was a buzz of chatter, they still hadn’t gotten into school mode. Most of them had their phones out, hiding them safely behind their folders, though the fact that they all had their folder lined up and were looking down at the desks looked suspicious. But a majority of the teachers were used to it. Heck, the teachers themselves did it.
Mr. Nu walked into the room, his pocket watch ticking and handkerchief folded perfectly in his suit pocket. He was an old fashioned man, Robert Nu. He was unlike anyone else of his time. He was also one of the oldest. At 50, Mr. Nu was still strong as an ox. Most people of his time died by the time they were 40 from too much technology use. Mr. Nu hated technology with a passion.
“Ok, who actually did the homework this time around?” Mr. Nu asked, knowing that no one had done it. They’d all been up late doing their stupid texting, or instant messaging. There wasn’t time for the simple things anymore, it seemed.
“lol, u rly xpectd us 2 do tht?” said a girl who was sitting in the front row. She had her phone in one hand and some other electronic device in the other that Mr. Nu couldn’t even begin to decipher what it was. She hadn’t even looked up when talking to him.
“Yes, I did expect you to do it. I’m going to guess you all stayed up the whole night texting and whatever?”
“y woud we nt? tchnology is evrything,” said a boy sitting near the back. Mr. Nu remembered the boys name: Tony. Tony sure was a big boy, the fat rolls rolling over the bottom of his shirt and his triple chins dangling as he spoke. Just as same as the rest of the class, though. No, not just the class; the world.
“You don’t want to learn? You don’t want to know things?” asked an appalled Mr. Nu. He’d only been teaching this high school English class for a week, and he was already fed up.
“dont need to no stuff,” Tony said. His jowls quivered as he spoke the words. It seemed to take an effort for Tony to even lift his head. “we hve the net. not that ud no wat tht is.”
“I know what internet is, Tony. Tell me, how does the internet work?”
“y do i care?”
“You should care. You should all care,” Mr. Nu said, now addressing the class. “Because one day, it’s going to be your jobs to run the internet, get it working. Someone has to do it.”
“the net is jst there. no one runs it,” Tony said.
“You know what? I hope the internet breaks down and you all have to live without it for a while. Might do you a bit of good.”
“it cant brk down,” said another ignorant student.
Mr. Nu sighed. He picked up his books and walked away, the door slamming behind him. The students didn’t even notice his absence.
The class had gathered in their seats. There was a buzz of chatter, they still hadn’t gotten into school mode. Most of them had their phones out, hiding them safely behind their folders, though the fact that they all had their folder lined up and were looking down at the desks looked suspicious. But a majority of the teachers were used to it. Heck, the teachers themselves did it.
Mr. Nu walked into the room, his pocket watch ticking and handkerchief folded perfectly in his suit pocket. He was an old fashioned man, Robert Nu. He was unlike anyone else of his time. He was also one of the oldest. At 50, Mr. Nu was still strong as an ox. Most people of his time died by the time they were 40 from too much technology use. Mr. Nu hated technology with a passion.
“Ok, who actually did the homework this time around?” Mr. Nu asked, knowing that no one had done it. They’d all been up late doing their stupid texting, or instant messaging. There wasn’t time for the simple things anymore, it seemed.
“lol, u rly xpectd us 2 do tht?” said a girl who was sitting in the front row. She had her phone in one hand and some other electronic device in the other that Mr. Nu couldn’t even begin to decipher what it was. She hadn’t even looked up when talking to him.
“Yes, I did expect you to do it. I’m going to guess you all stayed up the whole night texting and whatever?”
“y woud we nt? tchnology is evrything,” said a boy sitting near the back. Mr. Nu remembered the boys name: Tony. Tony sure was a big boy, the fat rolls rolling over the bottom of his shirt and his triple chins dangling as he spoke. Just as same as the rest of the class, though. No, not just the class; the world.
“You don’t want to learn? You don’t want to know things?” asked an appalled Mr. Nu. He’d only been teaching this high school English class for a week, and he was already fed up.
“dont need to no stuff,” Tony said. His jowls quivered as he spoke the words. It seemed to take an effort for Tony to even lift his head. “we hve the net. not that ud no wat tht is.”
“I know what internet is, Tony. Tell me, how does the internet work?”
“y do i care?”
“You should care. You should all care,” Mr. Nu said, now addressing the class. “Because one day, it’s going to be your jobs to run the internet, get it working. Someone has to do it.”
“the net is jst there. no one runs it,” Tony said.
“You know what? I hope the internet breaks down and you all have to live without it for a while. Might do you a bit of good.”
“it cant brk down,” said another ignorant student.
Mr. Nu sighed. He picked up his books and walked away, the door slamming behind him. The students didn’t even notice his absence.