May Contain Peanuts

Over (air) Conditioned

I came across an article recently lamenting the luxury of what many to be the most important technology during the summer time: air conditioning. Before you guffaw at this with thoughts of 'how can anyone not appreciate air conditioning, especially in the middle of July", let me explain that the complaint is about our social structure as a result of closed cold air systems, not how sad it is to wear a snuggie on your couch when it is 100 degrees outside.

The guy's point was that back in the days before air-conditioned homes, the summertime was an opportunity for neighbors to venture outside and interact with each other, with the outdoors being the more comfortable environment as opposed to the sweltering interiors of most homes. People would go outside and escape the heat that their homes trapped in. These outdoor activities brought neighbors and communities together, encouraging interactions and sharing ways for everyone to beat the heat. Nowadays however, our residences are the escape plan. The houses can be temperature controlled, removing the need to utilize nature's cooling devices. As a result, all that neighborly communication is gone. People choose to stay inside, denying the possibility of making a new experience within his community. Instead, the indoor-dweller resigns himself to the comforts and solitude within his own house.

Let it be clear that this is not some over-predicating idea of the decline of our social structure; that we are destined to be asocial zombies enslaved by refrigerated air systems. The point being made is that in despite an ever increasing population and ever increasing methods of social communication, the prevalence of air conditioning is trending to a more and more privatization of our daily lives. Sure, we still go to the pool or the beach or a farmer's market every once in a while, and we plan big events or vacations in these middle months, but that fundamental notion of a social summer in the everyday sense is no longer the norm.

Granted, there are many homes that still do not have the luxury of blasting cold air in the middle of a heat wave and still rely on the front porch for a relieving cool breeze. But for most of us living in modern residences, the air conditioner is relied upon appliance. This reliance takes us away from relaxing in a rocking chair on the front porch or sitting under an oak tree in the shade. It deters us from taking a stroll on a tree-lined sidewalk or climbing down to the nearest creek or river for a splash. Most importantly, it keeps us from interacting with the others around us that would be doing the same thing. If life is made up of the experiences you have and the people you meet and care about, is it worth it to hole yourself up in your house in the name of comfort? I guess we have telephones and the good old internet (it is 'old' now, right?) to keep those communication lines open, but nothing beats getting outside and living. Unfortunately, our reliance on air conditioning is preventing us from doing just that.

Don't get me wrong, I doubt anyone would consider ridding themselves of their AC (including myself), as it is always reassuring to know you can escape to a cool place, but the effect of having this available has surprisingly more implications than just a higher electricity bill. I also know that we still have plenty of social interactivity in our day to day lives, whether it be in the office or at your local bar or restaurant, but there is something different about the casual happenings of a neighborhood in the summer. Regrettably, these experiences are going by the wayside, with people opting for a confined existence in temperate comfort instead of absorbing a few degrees in nature's open air.

In all, it just struck me as interesting that something as unarguably great as AC still has big implications when thought of on a societal level. I will be sure to think more about this as I sit on my couch tonight in 75 degree comfort instead of out on my deck in the summer heat.