There's the stereotype than everyone under 30 has that attitude.
But with all stereotypes, there are tons and tons of exceptions.
However, that attitude of "anything older than 5 years is passe" is especially annoying to people who just can't afford the latest gadgets.
When you're struggling to pay rent, you have to make do with what you have, even if the gadgets you had are a decade old.
I usually see those tech snobs as spoiled brats who never lived in poverty, never lived in a ghetto, and therefore never understood the struggle of people who don't have the same blessings.
But it's not just about the money.
People who work long days in low-tech jobs are not always going to have the free time to learn the latest tech when they have other concerns to deal with.
Also, many people who are accused of being "stuck in their ways" have an understanding that if it's not broken, don't fix it! And it's not always good to waste.
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New technology doesn't mean the total replacement of old technology.
Within this millennium, there has been the rise of e-books. Entire books can be available on a mobile device.
That can be a helpful option for those not blessed with the physical strength to carry lots of books.
E-books also have options that zoom in, change typeface and even having the words read aloud.
However, e-books does have their disadvantages. Reading from a screen can cause digital eye strain. Also, studies have shown that people can retain more information that they read from a paper than a screen. (so please print this blog post 😉)
You can learn more about this from my college paper titled E-books an option, not a replacement for print books
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/c8d67a_75bb337c3d4a47a0a367ab4b99586beb.docx?dn=E-books%20an%20option%20not%20a%20replacement.docx
However, not everyone got the memo about the disadvantages of reading from a computer screen.
For example, in late 2014, the Graduate Student Organization (UH-Manoa's student government for graduate students) no longer provided print copies of grant applications for its members to look over.
I was not happy about it at all!
For one, my only mobile device was a smartphone which had a small screen. How the hell can I analyze a long document with a small screen. Small screens aren't meant to be used to analyze long documents. But even with a bigger screen, it would still be much easier to read and analyze those documents on paper.
So basically, the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) expected all their members to be able to afford high-tech gadgets to read from a screen to analyze documents that would be easier to analyze from a paper.
They said "it's going green" and "saving paper", and I countered that they could use recycled paper. But really, it was just laziness to spend the time and resources to print those documents.
This "going green" stuff was also why the IUCN World Conservation Congress (which had their meetings in Honolulu last year) didn't provide paper copies of their documents and programs, meaning they expected their members to suffer digital eye strain to examine and analyze documents. They also expected members to carry out devices that need to be re-charged every few hours (so much for conserving energy).
Again, they could've used recycled paper.
Or better yet, advocate for the use of hemp paper!
Hemp could produce the same amount of paper while using less space than trees. Hemp paper is also stronger and deteriorate slower than tree paper.
Casey Yashiki, “Legalize the other ‘green’,” Ka Leo O Hawaii, Aug 31, 201
http://www.manoanow.org/legalize-the-other-green/article_6e3fba1c-4f8b-11e5-a8bb-7758cac502c1.html
The super-plant can be converted into paper that does not turn yellow. On average, trees take about 50-500 years to grow before made into paper; however, hemp only takes about 100 days. Hemp paper lasts longer compared to wood paper and can also be recycled up to three times more.
But the problem is hemp reminds people of marijuana, which scares right-wing conservatives.
Time to put those fears aside, encourage the use of hemp for paper, and allow users who prefer paper to use them to analyze long documents instead of being forced to develop digital eye strain from looking at screen.
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I work as a substitute teacher, meaning I am a guest teacher who doesn't always get passwords to log into classroom computers that hook up to a smartboard.
But you know what? Smartboards are over-rated and take up too much space.
White boards are easy to use. They don't require electricity (electric outages do happen). They don't require passwords. They don't cause digital eye strain.
I'm just glad whiteboards replaced chalkboards in most schools. All the chalk dust deserved to go obsolete.
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The issue of digital eye strain also makes me unhappy with schools now expecting their students to read online textbooks instead of traditional textbooks.
Yes, I understand that textbooks take up a lot of space and can be heavy. I also understand that updating textbooks can be a pain.
But I also think traditional textbooks should still be an option for students. Maybe some students (especially those not blessed with physical strength) could just use the online textbooks, while given the option to print the few assigned pages they need for the week. But also allow those vulnerable to digital eye strain to have traditional textbooks.
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It is less than 2 years ago when I was a graduate student at a university. Though I wasn't the oldest in the class, I was one of the few (and sometimes the only one) who took lecture notes with a pencil and paper. Others used laptops.
Well for one, I didn't have a laptop until the last semester (and even then, I only used the tablet/laptop hybrid for the GSO meetings to analyze grant documents, since those bastards didn't allow us to use print copies 😡😡😡. I sold that device for chump change after I was done with GSO)
I prefer the pencil & paper because it's faster for me to write & illustrate concepts I am hearing in the class. Also, it is easier to concentrate when I writing with a pencil.
Plus, I think laptops are an invitation to be distracted in class. God forbid someone receives painful news or see something hilarious from social media during classtime.
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As mentioned, I do have a smartphone and yes, I defy trends on that one too, since I'm on Team BlackBerry whereas most people worship their iPhones. I'm all about the physical keyboards since they are easier to type on.
My blogs on BlackBerry
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2013/10/adventures-on-my-new-smartphone.html
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2016/12/blackberry-changes-and-future-of.html
I usually turn my smartphone off while at work. Why be distracted?
I just use my wrist-watch to tell time.
And if I need to make a list, I just write it down on scratch paper.
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For photography, I sometimes use my smartphone, mostly if I want to share it on facebook now (especially for parties and events).
But otherwise, I rather just use a traditional camera.
I still buy the Fuji disposable cameras.
Pablo Wegesend's photo
Fuji disposable camera
They're especially when I see what could be a great scenery shot,
want to take a photo NOW and I don't want to waste my time turning on my device and log in with a password (BlackBerry takes mobile security seriously and is stricter with passwords than iPhones).
With an analog disposable camera, I just take it out of my bag, aim it and click. Photo taken.
Yes, I'll have to wait for all the film to be used before I develop those pictures.
But if it's a scenery shot, I can wait!
I know one photography shop that develops film and allows images to be stored on a CD. I use that CD to transfer the images to facebook and flickr.
Check my Flickr page at
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Talking about CDs, I grew up at a time when it became the most dominant format for music.
CDs are vastly superior to cassettes, which gets tangled and broken in the cassette players very easily. So cassettes are one of those "old school technology" that I don't really miss.
However, Eminem (whose about a decade older than me) was from a cassette generation and is still putting out his music on cassettes, even re-issuing his old albums on cassettes. Nothing wrong with sticking with his roots.
I haven't really used vinyl so I really can't speak for its quality. But they are coming back in style, with their sales increasing.
CDs sales did decline, but now are downloads (ie mp3s) are too. Many are now relying on streaming for their music.
Yes, I now mostly listen to music on YouTube. (it's cheaper) But I still would like to get a copy whether it's on CD or mp3.
That's because streaming is reliant on internet access, which can slow down for various reasons. Whereas that is likely to happen with mp3s. If I'm relaxing, I do listen to the songs I have mp3 copies for, without having to worry about the online streaming being interrupted by internet slowdowns.
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I used to watch TV and movies growing, but all that declined as I became an adult. That decline is due to time & money issues. No time to follow TV series. No money to go to the movies.
I used to watch VHS but videotapes (like audio cassettes) get tangled in video players. DVDs are better.
I occasionally watch documentaries on YouTube. I occasionally borrow DVDs from libraries.
Till this day, I have never used Netflix.
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Now, some readers are thinking "ha ha ha, this guy uses a blog to diss newer technology"
I do love blogs, because it allows users to spread their message to a worldwide audience without begging a big publisher to distribute the message.
I'm also a major facebook user, and I usually have multiple facebook posts everyday.
I also do online shopping if the item I want isn't in nearby stores (especially shoes that fit my wide feet), or if I need to use PayPal Credit to buy something I need to pay in installments. (note: PayPal Credit used to be named Bill Me Later. The former title was what got me interested in using it in the first name. I wasn't happy with the name change and I told the company that).
I also use computer software to make my instrumental tracks. Cheaper, easier and faster than using traditional instruments.
check them out at
http://pablothemadtigerwarrior.blogspot.com/p/tracks.html
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/PablotheMadTigerWarrior
I also use the Movie Maker software to edit YouTube speeches (mostly editing out awkward pauses) and to make music videos that consist only still images (sorry, I don't have the budget to do anything fancier than that).
My YouTube speeches
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIwtFhYqlhZBa5r2e6sopBQ
My music videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTp3x3norNTYDksJKCSfhXg
Some of the still images in the videos are made using image softwares Pain and Photoshop!
So yes, some modern technology is a part of my life.
But I don't need a gadget for everything. I don't need an app for everything.
Some of it might be due to being "stuck in my ways" that were developed growing up in the 80s and 90s in ghetto housing projects.
Times and situations did change a few things since then!
But my ways work for me.
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Late last year, there was a book titled "Revenge of the Analog" by David Sax.
Learn more from the following links.
Steve Wieberg, “Analog strikes back: In a digital world, we cling to vinyl and paper, author says,” Kansas City Star, DECEMBER 08, 2016
http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/books/article119780613.html
Michiko Kakutani, “‘The Revenge of Analog’: See It. Feel It. Touch It. (Don’t Click),” New York Times, DEC. 5, 2016
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/books/revenge-of-analog-david-sax.html?_r=1
