Updated

Do you remember in the Asimov tale I, Robot where all the robots are "automatically updated" and begin attacking the people?

Last night, or early this morning... whichever way you prefer to look at it... Microsoft had a massive update which included the XBOX 360. Our phone and internet were disabled for the automatic update.

Just to let you know, I am not a conspiracy theorist... I am not worried that "Big Brother" is watching my every move... I am not paranoid...

But the update reminded me of how "connected" our lives are. Through the Internet, our computers and some other electronics can be updated or monitored by Microsoft, our ISP, the government, and hackers galore... notice I said CAN BE, not ARE...

I find it mildly interesting to think about how much we value our freedom and independence, but for many, the idea of not receiving the newest/shiniest/biggest/baddest/latest whatever it is that they love so much is the stuff of nightmares! We are slaves to commerce!

How would our society function if we no longer had electricity? If we could no longer play our XBOX or watch our TV or access the Internet... what would we do?

Would we panic and sit in our darkened houses waiting for someone to come and fix the problem? Find the nearest landbased phone and call in the special forces to repair our world? Drive, shakily to the store and buy generators and battery packs to power our lives?

Or would we step, blinking, into the sunlight outdoors and meet our neighbors? Take our children to the park and have a picnic? Take a drive on a Wednesday afternoon instead of waiting for Sunday? Lose weight by getting off our couches and moving our bodies?

Something to think about....