So Different from the Era of Massive “bible sized” Textbooks

Covering Macro Aspects of the World

When We Studied Things We Never Needed to Study in the first place.

Riverman

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John Fraim

The years in my educational system were “heavy” years in that they were made up of large textbooks that provided world histories on bible thin paper. I remember carrying around a hugely heavy textbook (easily used as a weapon) called something like a Witherspoon. The entire history of English prose in somewhat like 1,200 pages of this thin paper. 

But the subject of English literature does not take all the blame here. I remember carrying around huge textbooks in college on subjects like the History of Art. And History of Western Thought. Topics we studied because this is what we studied at this time. 

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Interesting how today’s technology takes the opposite goal of the past education of everything to the present access to specific information on technology needed in the real time of the present moment. 

So, we’re all inundated with mass bloggers on YouTube filling the need to explain the magic of all these new pieces of magic. Each month. Something new. Some new magic of current technology. of only “the things that matter to me in the present.” Isn’t this always the most truthful question anyone can ask? And isn’t it also the truly most difficult question to answer.

Yet breaking it down to a micro, present question about using the technology of my iPhone 15 Pro to record good voice files that can be transferred to Apple editing products like Final Cut Pro and iMovie 2026. The editing technology I’m using. Simply trying to find a way of fixing the application of a voice app I have on my Voice App from the Apple Store. But can’t open so asking AI about this problem. 

The modern micro text-book (opposite the macro approach to the world through Bible thin pages of 1,200 page collections or histories of the world. The broad scope of a liberal education that was not relevant to since all lived their basically local lives. 

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Anyway, “and so it goes” as Kurt Vonnegut repeats again and again in his masterpiece Slaughter House Five.When someone dies in the novel/autobiography when death is mentioned. A brilliant novel I just reread a few days ago after many years of its absence in my life. As well as Vonnegut’s absence. 

Vonnegut’s literary art delt so much with satire and black humor. And science fiction. 

Broad satires of current culture like Vonnegut gave to his years of culture are sorely missed these days. 

I wonder what he would do with the real response (posted below) I received from an Internet search based on the following question. Like I received today. It seems so much a metaphor or symbol between the old time I remember of those heavy textbooks of life and todays’ focus on the micro problems of a day with technology.

For example, my post to Internet search below and answer I received back almost instantly today. Probably a similar post or reach out for someone to explain the technology I’m using today. A large part of YouTube content composed of these “technology explainer” bloggers. Everyone explaining the latest in technology. A question I posed to my search engine. The answer below with no comments from me.

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(From Google Search on 8/19/26, 5:26 pm)

Question (from JF)

How to Fix iPhone 15 Voice Memo App Not Opening?

Answer (from Apple … leaving hypertext in)

If your Voice Memos app on the iPhone 15 won’t open or shows a white screen, it’s usually due to a software glitch, storage issue, or permission problem. Here’s how to troubleshoot and fix it.

1. Restart your iPhone
   A simple restart can clear temporary glitches. Press and hold the side button until the “Slide to power off” option appears, then slide it off. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears DeviceMAG.

2. Check microphone and permissions

• Make sure the microphone isn’t blocked or damaged. Test by making a call — if the other person can’t hear you, the mic may be faulty MobiKin.
• In Settings > Voice Memos, ensure “Microphone” is turned on MobiKin.

• Free up storage space

If your iPhone is full, Voice Memos may fail to open or save recordings. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and delete unused apps, photos, or videos MobiKin.

• Update iOS and the Voice Memos app

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update to install the latest iOS. In the App 

Store, check for Voice Memos updates DeviceMAG.

Reinstall the Voice Memos app
Delete the app, then reinstall it from the App Store. Back up your recordings to iCloud or a computer before reinstalling to avoid losing them Wondershare MobileTrans.

• Force quit and reopen
  On your home screen, swipe up to reveal the running apps, find Voice Memos, and swipe it up to close it. Then reopen it DeviceMAG.

• Disable conflicting features
  Turn off Accessibility > Sound Recognition if enabled, as it can interfere with Voice Memos DeviceMAG.

• Reset settings
  If the app still won’t open, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. This won’t erase your data but will reset settings to defaults Apple Support Community.
• Check Recently Deleted
  If you can’t open the app but recordings are missing, they may be in the Recently Deleted folder. Open Voice Memos, tap Recently Deleted, and restore them DeviceMAG
• Contact Apple Support
  If none of these steps work, the issue may be hardware-related (e.g., microphone damage) or a deeper iOS bug. Contact Apple Support for further help Apple Support Community.

Tip: Always back up your Voice Memos to iCloud or a computer before making major changes, so you don’t lose recordings permanently.

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It is not just answers from Apple but answers from all technology when we reach out to explain some part of it we are having problems with. Like the above question and answer from Apple from a question asked over Google,

Answer like above from Apple. Yet really answers from all technology today and our interface with it. As so many things in life, a few synchronicities pulled tightly together in this situation. I’m not sure how some things happen.

But I am sure I’ve had feelings about a great electronic/internet magnetic web all of us are attached to. Pulled to by the gravity of an event in time. Events have their own “gravity” in the spectrum of these current moments in time. Some much more “gravity” in one’s memory than others. Many events r

Whatever my response to above, the most important thing it seems to me is your response to this technology quietly invading all lives of this generation.