"I don't know when it happened, but it happened, yes it happened, and I know there's no return, no way." (Loosely borrowed from Yoko Ono)

In the old days, before search engines, people used the dictionary, the encyclopedia or other reference book to look up information. It was relatively easy and quick. Of course it is even faster now and much simpler; we type words into search engines.

Not all search engines are created equal. Ask Jeeves is good for basic searches, Teoma for 3-part searches, and Alta Vista enjoyed my attention for quite some time as the "best" search engine out there... until, of course, the introduction of Google. At first, Google seemed like a better version of Alta Vista (or insert the name of YOUR favorite search engine here). But soon, the difference between this search engine and others became more apparent to me.

To call Google a search engine seems unsatisfying. I like to think of Google as more like my new silicone-based techno/reference religious culture-enhancing multi-purpose home appliance and friend. Yes, I have crossed a line here. Google gets more bits and a pieces of my soul than any living being does. I use it to find information concerning the mundane, the technological, the cultural and even the spiritual questions that come to my mind each and every day.

Google is like the omnipresent techno God of the new millennium. Have I overstated the matter just a bit? Perhaps. But think about it. How adept are we at utilizing new technology and substituting it for the missing links in our lives? How much easier is it to type "charitable organization" into Goggle and writing a check rather than seeking out people in our own communities that might need our help?

No, I'm not changing my mind about Google anytime soon. It is, in my opinion still the best thing going. I continue to use it daily for reference. I even use it for amusement (type in: "elftrance" without the quotes). But, I have found that it is a hollow substitute for human interaction and expression of human emotions and connections. For that, you need the real thing. Luckily for me (and you) we live within a society where the richness and diversity of cultures and "community-sense" can be abundant.

Lets take full advantage of our technology while maintaining connection to the human spirit. Who knows what possibilities this arrangement can help to bring about.