Technology, is it really a sign of our advancement?

I was walking home from work today and had to contemplate numerous times whether I would zig then zag, zag then zig, or walk straight and barrel right into a few on comers as they text or surfed on their smart phones. Maybe this is just annoying to me because I own a dumb phone, but since when did it become my responsibility to be careful when I am walking and be careful to look where other people are walking. I see people walking around as if they are using a steering wheel, but two things are wrong: 1) it is not a steering wheel, it is a phone and 2) even if it were a steering wheel the driver is driving drunk careening back and forth. This made me think of my 3 biggest problems with technology.

1.Smart phones: Just because you have one doesn't mean you have to be staring at it and using it non stop all day, no matter what you are doing. Seriously, do you really need to check your email while walking down the street or get a fantasy update between reps at the gym? And besides, doesn't your neck get sore?

2. Ipods/MP3 Players: I love my Ipod just as much as the next person, but when did it become common for so many people to use their Ipod/MP3 player and headphones while driving. Over the weekend and recently I have seen a lot of people driving and/or getting in/out of their cars while still listening to their headphones. Call me old fashioned, but I always thought it was cool to pound bass so loud out of my car stereo that the car would vibrate, now just having ear buds is enough to show your true coolness.

3.YouTube: Just because you can out yourself on the Internet doesn't mean you should. I mainly bring this up because of the recent web sensation song "Friday" because it was the overwhelming jukebox winner at the Pirate game. Seriously, how can being so bad make so many people so famous. This reminds me of the Renaissance writer Erasmus and his work "The Praise of Folly" in which he ridiculed society for rewarding stupidity in hopes that the world would progress and become enlightened. He would be spinning in his grave.