I believe Lanham is correct in his assessment of our society.  Our knowledge and our actions are directly tied to our accumulation of “stuff,” which is continually evolving. We want to have the latest cell phone, lap top, etc. all for the purpose of retrieving and delivering information more quickly. The convergence of software makes it possible to book a reservation to climb Mount Everest from several pieces of hardware (whether it be a phone, ipad, laptop, desktop, etc.). However, we do not stop with the purchase of just one.  Many of us do not see this as a problem due to its efficiency. It makes us feel more connected.  I could view a tweet from the president on an ipad, read an email concerning health reform on a lap top, and discuss a trip to Vegas with my friends over the phone all in a matter of minutes.

Later in the reading however, Lanham made a comment that really struck me, “the fighter pilot finds himself seated behind a screen flying a pilotless aircraft with a computer joystick.”  It made me wonder if the separate pieces of technology that we purchase are necessary, or if each one is just another middle man distancing us from the experience itself.  Sure, my thought isn’t specific to the content of his statement, but it does relate to it. Each separate piece of technology (often providing many of the same functions) is one more that we have to check periodically or update regularly, and this pulls us away from time we could be spending doing other things. I believe that our desire to accumulate the newest “stuff” connects us but also separates us from the world around us.