This may seem odd to some people but the community I value the most is the Town of Orono.  I have lived here my who life and so has my dad so we’ve been here a combined nearly 75 years.  Ever since I was a little kid the plan has been for me to go to UMaine after graduating Orono High School.  So I haven’t had any intentions of moving somewhere else.  At least anytime soon.  So the town of Orono and the schools in Orono mean something to me and I only want good things for the town and its locals.

If I were to keep 2 digital technologies in this town I would keep cameras and Orono Police Department social medias.  Orono being a small town but also a college town can be a bit stressful for Orono PD.  Especially in the summer it gets really quiet and the Police Department doesn’t have much to do with all the students gone.  So in a small quiet town they start to lockdown on minor things like parking tickets and little street violations.  Which if people have been doing this all through the year with the students around and not get penalized for it, they aren’t going to be happy when the do get penalized for it just because the town gets quiet.  This can lead to the community to start disliking its police department which is never good for both the town and the police force.  So one thing the police department did to help keep things friendly in the community was introduce themselves on social media, mostly their Facebook page.  This way they can show their sense of humor and connect with the community through Facebook.  As for my other technology, cameras, I feel that these are import to have in a town like Orono.  There are so many landmarks and historical artifacts that I feel need to be photographed and kept for the sake of the town.  I see all these old pictures my Dad has from he was kid growing up here and it’s so cool to see how different but also how similar things were back then.

If I had to ban a technology I would ban smartphones.  There is just no need for them in a town like this.  Orono is a town where connections are supposed to be made in person.  There are more than enough places to meet people here in Orono and I feel that this social media, especially the use of tinder, is hurting this towns reputation.  I would kill to have lived in this town 60 to 70 years ago as I feel like everything would be so much better.  As in the behavior of people and the friendliness in general.  And that is how strong community is built is through getting to know people in your community in person.

This might seem a little bit silly but I think a good way of deciding how to regulate this tech is to let the people who have been here the longest decide.  They have been here longer than anyone else obviously and they would know what’s best for this town as they have seen it change over time.  This goes for any small or large community.  The people who are loyal to their community and care about it enough to stay here for as long as they have should give them the opportunity to decide the future of their community and let its future play out in the way they think is best.