Customize Me!

A friend of mine was recently showing me how I could customize my Google homepage. It's great. I can see the weather, the Dow, the New York Times, the local news, my e-mails, and even a "Places to See" picture that changes everyday. And all of this comes displayed according to my color/design template preference! It's wonderful.....or is it? While I love personalized web pages, I'm not sure I support the underlying principle being taught.
Today's culture funnels us into a whirlpool of customization and instant gratification. With the advent of I-Pod technology we can listen to a custom play list anywhere we go. If we get sick of the song we simply change it to a different one that we like more. Our cell phones give us the ability to have an instant conversation with anyone in the world with the push of a single button. YouTube web pages allow us to view everything from the weekly Presidential Address to the last episode of American Idol that we missed. Global research can be done without ever leaving the room. The world is at our fingertips.
Unfortunately, such instant gratification can lead to an underdevelopment of important life skills. A poor relationship with your children cannot be changed with a fast forward button. Financial difficulties do not respond to a skip button. Tragic events will not reverse with the click of a mouse. Life does not come with a remote control. You can't download life's lessons, you have to learn them. An environment of customization cannot foster values of self-discipline, patience or tact. Maturation is oft times measured by the steady sway of the pendulum.