This is why I sometimes hope, (and yes, I know that many forum members are suffering right now) that the economic downturn lasts for some time or maybe even gets worse. The lack of spending power by the average American may slow down or even stop this trend towards more "interconnectedness" with the 'net and electronic devices.

Personally, I'd like to see a return to the Little House on the Prairie days but I realize that's not very likely. I do welcome any development that staves off the eventual total enslavement to mass media and electronics that we seem to be heading towards, Terminator-style, even if suffering and deprivation occur in other areas of our life as well.

I really believe that a Matrix-like submission to giant computer networks could become a reality. The only way of stopping it would be if the consumer simply runs out of money to keep buying this stuff, businesses run out of money to keep producing it and if the government runs out of money to keep expanding its intrusive spy network.