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I’ve been focusing a lot on newer developments, but haven’t spoken much on the classics. Why? The newer techniques have been refined and are (in theory) more sophisticated than the older techniques. They should (in an ideal world) be a concentrated or optimized version of the earlier technology, possibly with new enhancements. The problems with any new technology are the same, however: It tends to be buggy, and also will quite often suffer from compatibility issues.
In many cases, the two problems are expressed as one. Both the Sedona Method and EFT have provided great benefits to me, but each has had their fair share of detractors, claiming that it doesn’t do anything. Well, it’s entirely possible that for them, it really didn’t.
On the other hand, Almost all personal computers (and practically all servers) in the world are using processors that work basically the same way as the 8086 processor that was released in 1978. Unix, upon which Linux is based, is a powerful operating system. So much so that (from my perspective) Both Microsoft and Apple’s real improvements have been along the lines of imitating the functionality and security of Unix. The kicker? My Unix teacher liked to quip that we were studying cutting-edge 1970’s technology.
For that matter, how long have we been using knives? A good, long while. The reason? It works. Remember, the reason technology is kept or discarded is how well it works. Sending Internet packets via carrier pigeon is a novel idea, but it’s not used, simply because it would be of no practical benefit, other than a good April Fool’s joke or a stunt to pass an afternoon.
The Value of Old Technology.
What’s great about using old technology is that it has already been through many revisions. It’s solid. You don’t get unpleasant crashes or other such monkey business like you do with the newer stuff. True, it may not have as many bells and whistles. The interface may be more difficult, and it may be clunky. However, reliability is where it really shines.
Would I rather use a computer, a calculator, or a sliderule? I would prefer to use them in the order given, but I’ve used them all. Unless you’re a User Friendly character, you can’t necessarily use them interchangeably, but the principle holds. (By the way, if you check out that comic, keep reading the next few. It’s pretty good.)
Some might consider “meditation” an old technology. In a way it is. But that’s about as accurate as saying that “Windows” is an old operating system. Which variant, and what version? Vista is still pretty new (biting my tongue here), but you can trace it back 20 years or so. So to say that meditation is ancient is not necessarily false, but it is less than accurate.
I do meditate daily, oftentimes twice daily. This was kicked off by my 30-day challenge back in November, but it’s served me well. The variant isn’t as important (for our purposes) as the fact that while the version I am learning is fairly new, it’s still pretty stable, and doesn’t get too fancy. Like any older technology, it simply does what it is supposed to do. I find that I continue to reap the benefits of regular meditative practice, and it’s improving. Nowadays, I’m actually surprised when one of those mental land mines pops up. I’ve got a full arsenal for turning it into a very decorative crater planter, but the surprise of actually finding one has more of an impact than whatever it tries to accomplish.
When you’re assembling tools for your mental defragging toolbox, don’t overlook the basics, and don’t ignore old technology. It can really back you up when the latest-and-greatest jams up.
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