Old School Communication

Let me begin by saying I am a baby boomer and you can choose to judge my attitude and technical abilities by that. I like to start the day with a cup of coffee watching the news. Yes I realize it is highly filtered, but that is not what bothers me. It is the 24 hour news channels that spend more time on ads then news. By the time the geriatric ads for reverse mortgages, “help I've fallen and can't get up”, step in baths and circulation boosters are over I really am not sure what important news item I wanted to see. Those ads obviously target a specific audience. Anyhow I have turned to my ipad with it's ad blocker. What a joy. I watch and read as many news channels as I want when I want. They are still filtered and I am aware I am not being told everything but can we trust all the variations of “social media” as being more truthful. Note to self, take everything with a grain of salt. The other day I read an article on going “old school”. I think I am beginning to hate that phrase. It was about young tech savvy people going back to flip phones from smart phones. Interesting. It kind of made me happy as we chase the illusive idea of keeping up with technology. As I wander through our museum looking at “old school” communication technology I smile to myself. On a wall hangs a wooden phone, it used a party line and everyone on the line had their own ring. Of course some people had to listen in. My mom and grandmother had a code they used. Once it was “the princess has arrived” Well the gossip that went out that the princess from England had arrived. It was actually the birth of my aunt. Did you know on facebook you can read other peoples posts even if you are not a friend. Try privacy settings.

Does anyone remember the rotary phone? My favourite. I loved turning that wheel and listening to the sound. I was easily amused as a child. Then came the mobile phone, barely. It was large and cumbersome. Now we carry our life in our pocket, our “smart phone”. Do you misplace things? Do you have a passcode? Did you download the app that helps you find your “smart phone”? Do you understand what I am saying? 

Well here is the moral to my ramblings, I have chosen to be selective in the technology I use and keep up with it based on my needs and not pressure from my peers or much younger generations. Having said that one should never stop learning and  always be curious.

A few words of warning about today's technology, think before you hit “delete”, don't automatically hit “yes” because it's there, free isn't always free. What will happen when you hit update just because it's there? Think first because it isn't always good.