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i am rewatching the series, Downton Abbey, and it struck me that I am a "Cousin Violet" in that I am VERY resistant to the changes that have taken place in the past 25 years. At the time of the series (1912-1926), there had been a radical change in society, not only a revolution in the English structure of class, but also in a relaxing of morals and many inventions that completely changed ordinary life (e.g., electric gadgets to make housework easier, the automobile, and the telephone). As far as I can tell, with very few exceptions, virtually everyone adapted to those inventions in just a very few years; and now, of course, I think we all accept those inventions as so much a part of our lives that I think that the great majority of Americans would find it very difficult to live without them.
Today, however, I am one of those holdouts who have not accepted a Smartphone or SmartTV or electronic banking into my life and I don't intend to ever do so as long as there is any way to avoid it other than death or committal to some institution.. Imo, those inventions are not creating a better quality of life, and with the talk about using Smartphones to track people for various reasons*, I am now wondering whether, in the opinion of MOST people, if "Smart" technology has made life better or worse?
i am rewatching the series, Downton Abbey, and it struck me that I am a "Cousin Violet" in that I am VERY resistant to the changes that have taken place in the past 25 years. At the time of the series (1912-1926), there had been a radical change in society, not only a revolution in the English structure of class, but also in a relaxing of morals and many inventions that completely changed ordinary life (e.g., electric gadgets to make housework easier, the automobile, and the telephone). As far as I can tell, with very few exceptions, virtually everyone adapted to those inventions in just a very few years; and now, of course, I think we all accept those inventions as so much a part of our lives that I think that the great majority of Americans would find it very difficult to live without them.
Today, however, I am one of those holdouts who have not accepted a Smartphone or SmartTV or electronic banking into my life and I don't intend to ever do so as long as there is any way to avoid it beside death or committal to some institution.. Imo, those inventions are not creating a better quality of life, and with the talk about using Smartphones to track people for various reasons*, I am now wondering:
In you opinion, has the "Smart" technology made life better for most people?
I did not read the article at the end, not sure if it has anything to do with your post. But in terms of has "smart" technology made life better or worse, it depends on your definition of "better or worse." I think from a purely standard of living point of view, smart technology has made healthcare, food acquisition, and mobility many times better. Has it made making a sandwich easier, no, of course not. But has it made cooking for a particular health issue easier, of course. I recently was diagnosed with a health issue that required a significant change in lifestyle, exercise and diet. I am an "older" guy, but I embrace technology as much as i can. finding recipes and ideas for my particular diet in the store, and again in my kitchen has definitely improved my life with little time investment from me. It also has let me find healthier substitutes that I never would have even knew existed. It helped me find my doctor, and helped me save almost $2000 per year on a device I needed. So in terms of this particular issue, yes it has helped make my life so much better. So it just depends on what you think of as better. Whether you have a smart phone or not, the government can track you with the literally thousands of cameras you travel past every day without even knowing. Some things you control, some you do not. But I certainly understand the romance of nostalgia. I just find that nostalgia is blind to a lot as well.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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There are limits to my acceptance of technology. Yes, I have an iPad, iPhone, Alexa, and other smart devices. I can set the AC or heater and start the car with my cell phone, and I can play music from my phone by bluetooth to either car, my home stereo system or to the TV soundbar. I draw the line however, at having a washing machine, stove, refrigerator or toothbrush that communicates with me by cell phone.
A significant number of any population always think the latest technology is dangerous or somehow malignant. But it's always the latest technology, invariably that which arose after the formative years of the claimant in question. That's where the perpetual cycle of moral panics are rooted. No one in 2021 is ranting about the supposed dangers of radio or electrification or horseless carriages or telephones. But all of those things were once eyed suspiciously as deleterious threats to 'our way of life'.
And what do all such people have in common? They don't like change.
But while "I don't like change..." sounds lame, "I'm part of the vanguard warning society about the dangers of what they're doing!" sounds much better. So such individuals spend time convincing people - themselves, first and foremost - that they're sounding the alarm about some actual threat instead of just disliking newfangled stuff.
Rest assured, not one will be concerned about smartphones in the year 2121. But they're will be some other 'scary' new stuff that they'll be wringing their hands over.
Honestly, I do sympathize with the dislike of technology as one gets older. I'm human and I have a fondness for things from my younger years. Not technology so much, but other things that I think are similarly comfortable to me. And I'm no eager consumer of the cutting edge. I prefer to let society's beta users work out the kinks in new stuff for a few years before I take the plunge - by which time it will also be cheaper.
But I really don't have much sympathy for those who cannot see that their distress over new technology is rooted not in the nature of the technology but in themselves.
A significant number of any population always think the latest technology is dangerous or somehow malignant. But it's always the latest technology, invariably that which arose after the formative years of the claimant in question. That's where the perpetual cycle of moral panics are rooted. No one in 2021 is ranting about the supposed dangers of radio or electrification or horseless carriages or telephones. But all of those things were once eyed suspiciously as deleterious threats to 'our way of life'.
And what do all such people have in common? They don't like change.
But while "I don't like change..." sounds lame, "I'm part of the vanguard warning society about the dangers of what they're doing!" sounds much better. So such individuals spend time convincing people - themselves, first and foremost - that they're sounding the alarm about some actual threat instead of just disliking newfangled stuff.
Rest assured, not one will be concerned about smartphones in the year 2121. But they're will be some other 'scary' new stuff that they'll be wringing their hands over.
Honestly, I do sympathize with the dislike of technology as one gets older. I'm human and I have a fondness for things from my younger years. Not technology so much, but other things that I think are similarly comfortable to me. And I'm no eager consumer of the cutting edge. I prefer to let society's beta users work out the kinks in new stuff for a few years before I take the plunge - by which time it will also be cheaper.
But I really don't have much sympathy for those who cannot see that their distress over new technology is rooted not in the nature of the technology but in themselves.
That is an extremely thoughtful response. Thank you.
I admit that I don't like change, that I am a Luddite, old-fashioned, dinosaur -- whatever label fits.
Nevertheless and although i admit to what I just said, I think the question still remains: Are our lives now better overall WITH the new electronics in the past 25 years than they were before?
And, of course, I do "love" the Internet as far as communication and research, although I still do NOT think that social media like Facebook has improved our lives very much . . . but, of course, this is just opinion (as will be all thoughts about this, I think.)
thanks again and to everyone who has posted so far!! (Out of reps for now.)
A significant number of any population always think the latest technology is dangerous or somehow malignant. But it's always the latest technology, invariably that which arose after the formative years of the claimant in question. That's where the perpetual cycle of moral panics are rooted. No one in 2021 is ranting about the supposed dangers of radio or electrification or horseless carriages or telephones. But all of those things were once eyed suspiciously as deleterious threats to 'our way of life'.
And what do all such people have in common? They don't like change.
But while "I don't like change..." sounds lame, "I'm part of the vanguard warning society about the dangers of what they're doing!" sounds much better. So such individuals spend time convincing people - themselves, first and foremost - that they're sounding the alarm about some actual threat instead of just disliking newfangled stuff.
Rest assured, not one will be concerned about smartphones in the year 2121. But they're will be some other 'scary' new stuff that they'll be wringing their hands over.
Honestly, I do sympathize with the dislike of technology as one gets older. I'm human and I have a fondness for things from my younger years. Not technology so much, but other things that I think are similarly comfortable to me. And I'm no eager consumer of the cutting edge. I prefer to let society's beta users work out the kinks in new stuff for a few years before I take the plunge - by which time it will also be cheaper.
But I really don't have much sympathy for those who cannot see that their distress over new technology is rooted not in the nature of the technology but in themselves.
So you would spend $350 for a smart electric toothbrush?
But seriously, I think you're sort of missing at least part of 'the point'.
It's not that technology is 'bad'. I have a smart phone...and use for many things. I have my car connected to wifi. I have wifi in my house for my computer, my smart t.v., my home telephone, my security system, etc.
But what some of us are saying is that some of the "smart" stuff doesn't seem so smart.
For example, you can whip out your smart phone or go find it, log in, bring up the app for your smart thermostat, and change the temperature a degree. I can take 10 steps and press one button once and do the same. You can be driving, whip out your smart phone, log in, bring up the app for your garage door, and open said door. I can push the button on my visor once and do the same thing.
After 7 years of using a Kindle, I've decided that I prefer reading a hardcover book.
And by the way, I'm 72 and not afraid of technology...never have been. But high tech is not always better.
At 64 I use and enjoy so many aspects of technology. My walls have been reclaimed for framed pictures, now that I stream music and read ebooks - no more cd holders and bookcases lining every wall of every room. (Except the study where I still like to sit and read an ebook while surrounded by comforting and familiar old book friends.) I love my tablet and do so many things on it, it’s a plus for me in retirement. But where I really appreciated technology, was for my father. He died recently at age 94, and had suffered from an inability to get up without help, as well as from Parkinson’s, which made his hands too shaky to use the phone or a remote control easily. Technology allowed him to make phone calls using only his voice, to turn lights off and on, or his fan off and on, without leaving his chair. We could drop in on his echo without his having to do anything. He could order up music, weather forecasts, podcasts, and control his tv, all through voice commands. He could increase the size and brightness of text on his kindle, although the shaky hands were becoming an issue with turning pages. Hope by the time I get there even more can be done by voice!
Except for phones and some online stuff, you can basically pick and choose how much tech you want. If you don't want a smart thermostat, you don't have to buy one.
Technology is phenomenal in exploring, researching, and getting information. It's made life so much more efficient in that you know what you are getting without having to have experienced it first. I don't have to have driven by a place to know that you can hike there now, trail app tells you it's there and what it's like. I can get a VRBO in the middle of nowhere. I can find that random ethnic restaurant tucked away in some strip mall. I moved to my apartment without ever physically visiting and I got what I thought I was going to get.
Listening to my parents stories of vacations years ago, they had so many screw ups of not being able to get hotel rooms or driving around a lot looking for stuff. They went to the spots they knew and didn't explore much because of this. As us kids have now taken the vacation planning helm, we've explored a lot more different, yet still closeby locations. We spend more time doing, less time driving. We're almost always away from the crowds and we can still get good places for a reasonable price. We hardly ever visit a restaurant we don't like. That's mostly all due to technology and knowing how to use it.
Its much better. I sell on online platforms and that would be difficult or impossible without smart technology. I have a 91 yo mom where I have added smart technology like Alexa and remote camera monitoring which has enabled her to live independently longer than would have been possible before. I could think of endless reasons but these are the most important in my life.
As far as cost goes. I buy at auctions and other venues lots of electronics. I pay pennies on the dollar for all sorts of smart technology and sell the rest. It is essentially cost free for me.
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