A lot of things are way beyond my understanding. Not just complicated stuff, like the technology that fuels NASA’s next generation vehicle for space exploration, but even simpler matters, like how to wire a plug without blasting the whole neighbourhood into a giant crater. In which case, the space exploration vehicle would come in handy.

Human behaviour also baffles me. Take blind dates, for instance. Why would anyone volunteer to take a stranger out to dinner? There are more than seven billion people in the world – do you seriously think that you will find the right one sitting at your local bar? The universe just doesn’t conspire in that way.

But there’s the element of surprise in blind dates, you might argue. True. A game of Russian roulette also has an element of surprise.

We’ve arranged a civilisation in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology- Carl Sagan

Then there are those people who take a personal vow to go without their mobile, Facebook account, tablet, or any other form of technology for a day, a month or a lifetime. Some years ago, Jake P. Reilly gained notoriety by unplugging from social media, e-mail and mobile for 90 days. There are businesses which even promote tech-free days. And thousands of people could also be doing their no-internet-for-life experiment as we speak. But I cannot be certain about that – it’s not as if they are publishing their stories online.

The context always reads like a chronicle out of Narnia – a yearning for an atavistic return to a world of magic, myths and talking animals. It’s the usual reasoning which promotes the simple olden days over our modern age.

That is, of course, a false premise because a world without technology isn’t necessarily a better one. True, time would go by at a much slower pace. But can you imagine trying to join the dots of time through hard toil only? And then for entertainment, you have a choice between staring at the wall or, inspired by a chapter out of the simple olden days, burning down the neighbouring village.

If you don’t have the personality to sustain long evenings with the telly switched off and with just the old me, myself and I for company, then don’t challenge yourself with such experiments. And even if you do have the personality, what’s the whole point? You will not save the world just by denying technology. But let’s just give you a glimmer of home and say that you manage to save the world, how are you going to tell us all about it?

techeditor@timesofmalta.com