Regarding my fuddy-duddy post about my aversion to smartphones, Ed writes:
You're only as old as you think... I'm over a decade older than you Jeff and have no problem using new tech, but for cost sake I use a 10 buck a month old school cell phone for very infrequent voice comm, have disconnected the redundant land line for more savings, and use free WiFi access with my iPod touch to write email, text, and Facebook...and comments like this on Herculodge.
Don't get old before your time, man... I look at some in my generation who never adopted computers at all and I find them particularly dull and underinformed. You have to be on the net today to be plugged into the world, or the world will leave you behind!
Ed: I think you're right----but there is also that line to walk, which is to say, older people shouldn't go out of their way to try to "act young" by forcing themselves into every new technology or trend because they THINK that will "keep them young." We have to be open minded and when we identify something that can enrich our lives----embrace it, try to adapt. But I find it really funny, when for example, people older than I am (49) force themselves into trying to like music that high school kids are listening to. You can just tell that they really don't like the music----but they think knowing a few modern artists and songs gives everyone else the perception that they are "young" somehow. No, they're not young at all---they are just uncomfortable with their age and failing miserably at trying to do something about it.
Posted by: Angelo | December 18, 2012 at 04:51 AM
I like certain aspects of technology, but the overarching trend in our society is to turn technology into some sort of idol, with legions of rabid fans for every brand and model of device. When arguing about, or waiting in line for the latest gadget takes up a significant amount of your time, then it's a problem like any other addiction. I'm thinking particularly about smart-phones that have such vast capabilities yet are mostly used to kill time on-line or gossiping.
Man went to the Moon with so much less, I wonder if we have not reached a crisis of vision; there must be better uses of our advances than launching cartoon birds at a pile of blocks or tweeting the minutiae of our lives to strangers.
This type of technology doesn't actually help us much; rather it has been proven to degrade our mental faculties. Studies have shown that the average adult today has a poorer memory and ability to focus due to the deferring of certain mental functions to technology.
I would rather spend the time others while away on smart-phones travelling and meeting real people. Needless to say I don't own a smart-phone. I'd rather be the smart one in this relationship. Like seven billion other people I am in possession of the most complex known structure in the Universe and the most powerful organic computer in the shape of the human brain and i'm not prepared to be usurped by a disposable lump of metal and plastic.
Posted by: Ulysses | December 18, 2012 at 04:56 PM