Goldendale Sentinel Editorial

Don't let the Internet ruin small-town vibe

A Goldendale Sentinel Editorial  

     When asked about the impact of the Washington State Department of Licensing office in Goldendale closing, officials across the board had the same response this week: why keep a live office open when nearly everything can all be done online? Besides, anything that can't be done online can be done by phone.
     Furthermore, those few items that do require in-person visits are infrequent and don't justify the cost.
     Does this sound familiar? This message of, "Why keep humans around when machines can do everything for us?
     Should we be concerned?
     We at The Sentinel are not enemies of technology nor do we think modern times will be our downfall. We are not fatalists, defeatists, nor believers of 'gloom and doom.' Certainly none of us are counting down to the end.
     Yet few would disagree that something is disappearing from the American landscape - and disappearing fast. Nowhere is that disappearance felt more deeply than in small towns.
     In the cities, they are perhaps accustomed to greater isolation, or the sense of "doing things on your own." You don't as often see neighbors pulling each other out of ditches, bringing over fruit baskets, or loaning each other power tools.
     Yet in smaller towns, we are used to constant interaction. There are no lines between neighbors, families, and friends.
     We say "hi" to clerks at the post office, greet friends at the bank, and get the latest scoop from the checker at the supermarket. It is simply a way of life.
     When we reach the point where everything is mailed from home, bills are paid automatically, and grocery shopping is done online, what reason will we have to actually see one another? How will this change the fabric of our communities?
     Even for work now, many people are telecommuting. This takes the basic social structure of a daily workforce from our lives.
     We can't stop the push of technology, nor would we want to. However, we can be aware of how it's affecting us. Through that awareness, we can curb some of the extremes.
     Like with any ailment, if you are aware of the symptoms early on you can stop some of the damage.
     Let's do some preventative medicine here. Before we all get sick from too much Internet, let's put some community structures in place. Let's be aware of how important our neighbors are, and do our best to keep strong relationships.
     Our community is too important to see its threads weaken or disintegrate.