technology, friend or foe?

Post by **Chloe_88** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:49 am

As much as I like technology, I hate it.

I love being able to poke around on FG, online shopping, information that can be accessed at the drop of a hat, music on youtube etc.. And as my family live in England & Ireland it's an easy,fun way to keep in touch and a way to share photo's etc.

But I hate the throw away society it has created, as you are expected to have the newest computer,ipad,iphone,tv etc. The woo ha on facebook: you accepted that person as a friend, why aren't we friends?, If you haven't answered your email within 0.1 sec, people think you have died.

As I work for a large tv/internet & phone provider in the netherlands, I hear customers say every day: but internet is a basic necessity of life!

Let me tell you: IT ISN'T!

I think technology is starting to become ridiculous. It's supposed to make things a bit easier and more fun, not become a basic necessity of life. It seems to make people greedy for the newest of the newest things. And forget about the simple joyful moments in life.

How do you feel about technology?

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:03 pm

Technology isn't the problem. Technology simply provides tools.

There are people who use the Internet to do scientific research in a way that simply was not possible before. Historians can process huge volumes of written works in a way that just was not possible to do with libraries.

Yes, there is a sub-culture that has made reliance on constant trivial communication their way of life. Technology is not at fault for their choices.

Post by **Chloe_88** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:10 pm

No it isn't but forcing people to use it is. For example, you have to pay extra here if you want your bills sent by post, you do not get your package discount (for internet/tv/phone) if you want your bill by post.. You are forced to own a computer and have internet..

the unemployment company or uwv as we call it, have closed down offices and you MUST have internet acces as everything is done online.. it's ridiculous!

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:20 pm

Wandrin;1437470 wrote: Technology isn't the problem. Technology simply provides tools.

There are people who use the Internet to do scientific research in a way that simply was not possible before. Historians can process huge volumes of written works in a way that just was not possible to do with libraries.

Yes, there is a sub-culture that has made reliance on constant trivial communication their way of life. Technology is not at fault for their choices. Great post...

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 3:31 pm

oscar;1437477 wrote: Great post...
You beat me to it. Yes Wandrin, well said. The internet has contributed to enriching my existence. The world at my command.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 3:36 pm

Chloe_88;1437472 wrote: No it isn't but forcing people to use it is. For example, you have to pay extra here if you want your bills sent by post, you do not get your package discount (for internet/tv/phone) if you want your bill by post.. You are forced to own a computer and have internet..

the unemployment company or uwv as we call it, have closed down offices and you MUST have internet acces as everything is done online.. it's ridiculous!

Postage costs money. Manually handling bills through the mail and entering the data costs money (and staff). I'm sure that you can set up auto-pay to save the cost of postage, or that is the case here.

I don't understand the unemployment agency going online-only, unless they have terminals set up at their offices.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 3:37 pm

AnneBoleyn;1437493 wrote: You beat me to it. Yes Wandrin, well said. The internet has contributed to enriching my existence. The world at my command.

That's how I feel about it too. Something pops into my head that I'm curious about and I've got the world's best research tool right at my fingertips.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 3:51 pm

The technology also saves lives. I was wandering around in the mountains of Idaho when my dog needed the services of an emergency vet. I had no idea what the closest town was, let alone where the nearest vet could be found. Within seconds I had driving directions, distance, and phone number. Believe me, I was thankful for the technology that day.

Post by **Chloe_88** » Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:41 pm

Wandrin;1437501 wrote: The technology also saves lives. I was wandering around in the mountains of Idaho when my dog needed the services of an emergency vet. I had no idea what the closest town was, let alone where the nearest vet could be found. Within seconds I had driving directions, distance, and phone number. Believe me, I was thankful for the technology that day.

glad to read that worked out for the best !

not saying the internet is all bad, i use it a lot but it's not a basic necessity in life. i dont work on inbound customer calls anymore (now more backoffice for the technicians) but i get so sad when mums ring up stressed that their tv is off and she doens't know how to entertain the kids when its beautiful weather outside! or full grown men crying their eyes out because internet is offline and they cant play world of warcaraft.. now thats silly..

i like internet as i get to talk more with my family online as i ever could over the phone. i just dont like the greedy part it seems to have created.

would like to explain more but i must be off to work, so i'll just have to cut this post short.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 3:24 am

Well, nothing in life is a "necessity" except food and shelter but we live in an age when we have luxuries readily and cheaply available so why NOT use them? Sprinkling 24 carat gold dust on your food is greedy and silly, depending on the internet for TV, game playing or socializing after a 9 or 10 hour work day isn't asking much.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 3:56 am

When we frown upon modern technology and sneer at those who use It a lot, we are all too wrapped up In our normal and busy lives.

Spare a thought for the disabled who can now order shopping on line, join support groups, Internet banking etc etc, things that we take for granted such as a simple shop that was so much hardship for the disabled.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:18 am

I like technology. My world is enriched by it.

I never send a bill payment via mail, anymore.

My paycheck is in the bank before I even wake up on payday.

I can talk to people all over the world, any time.

I can arrange a fishing trip in the wilds of Canada without leaving my desk (until it's time to go fishing, that is)

I can arrange all the hotels and dinner stops on a cross-country trip, while the wife is packing.

I can find out the latest development at CERN while I eat my Raisin Bran.

I can see what the chances of rain or snow will be on my camping trip next week.

I can, at a moment's notice, arrange to be in Florida to have dinner with my family.

True, there are some drawbacks, but I remember what it was like before, too. I like it now much better.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 10:00 am

LarsMac;1437555 wrote: I like technology. My world is enriched by it.

I never send a bill payment via mail, anymore.

My paycheck is in the bank before I even wake up on payday.

I can talk to people all over the world, any time.

I can arrange a fishing trip in the wilds of Canada without leaving my desk (until it's time to go fishing, that is)

I can arrange all the hotels and dinner stops on a cross-country trip, while the wife is packing.

I can find out the latest development at CERN while I eat my Raisin Bran.

I can see what the chances of rain or snow will be on my camping trip next week.

I can, at a moment's notice, arrange to be in Florida to have dinner with my family.

True, there are some drawbacks, but I remember what it was like before, too. I like it now much better. I agree with all of that.

The one technology I hate Is the mobile phone and I have a brother who despises them as much as I do.

I hate people who shout Into them In the street to make themselves look Interesting and I hate being that contactable. I have a landline and call recognition at home so I can choose weather I want to talk to them.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 10:13 am

oscar;1437561 wrote: I agree with all of that.

The one technology I hate Is the mobile phone and I have a brother who despises them as much as I do.

I hate people who shout Into them In the street to make themselves look Interesting and I hate being that contactable. I have a landline and call recognition at home so I can choose weather I want to talk to them.

I love my mobile phone.

I can call anyone I like, from wherever I like.

I still give out my landline number to businesses and such, though, so they can't bother me when I am out and about. Only people I like get my mobile number.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 10:39 am

So what's the next thing the forum's going to complain about, modern medicine? Airplanes?

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 10:59 am

SnoozeAgain;1437566 wrote: So what's the next thing the forum's going to complain about, modern medicine? Airplanes? Running water ?

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:13 am

Yeah, that's a good one. I'm sure its the bane of our civilization.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:25 am

SnoozeAgain;1437574 wrote: Yeah, that's a good one. I'm sure its the bane of our civilization. It's no doubt the root of all evil and will ultimately be the undoing of civilisation as we know It.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:46 am

Stop bathing or we're all gonna die!!! 1!!

Post by **Chloe_88** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:30 pm

SnoozeAgain;1437542 wrote: Well, nothing in life is a "necessity" except food and shelter but we live in an age when we have luxuries readily and cheaply available so why NOT use them? Sprinkling 24 carat gold dust on your food is greedy and silly, depending on the internet for TV, game playing or socializing after a 9 or 10 hour work day isn't asking much.

Agree on that!

but it shouldn't become your kids babysitter thats all

Post by **Chloe_88** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:34 pm

SnoozeAgain;1437566 wrote: So what's the next thing the forum's going to complain about, modern medicine? Airplanes?

Complaing? No, discussing it, the pro's and cons. I've never said tech is evil or anything like that, I even said I like tech as I can keep in touch with my family way better and do online shopping etc. but some people forget to enjoy life. Full grown men crying about a game that they can't play because the internet was off for 5 mins is silly.

Seeing a report on a concert yesterday where people are too busy on their mobiles or too busy on their mobiles filming it instead of just enjoying it is silly. It's a shame, that's what i ment.

Post by **Chloe_88** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:38 pm

oscar;1437543 wrote: When we frown upon modern technology and sneer at those who use It a lot, we are all too wrapped up In our normal and busy lives.

Spare a thought for the disabled who can now order shopping on line, join support groups, Internet banking etc etc, things that we take for granted such as a simple shop that was so much hardship for the disabled.

I agree with you on that. I guess it has/could really help the disabled a lot, no difficult little shops, just easy online shopping etc. Gives them a bit more freedom there i guess, yes

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:23 pm

Chloe_88;1437579 wrote: Complaing? No, discussing it, the pro's and cons. I've never said tech is evil or anything like that, I even said I like tech as I can keep in touch with my family way better and do online shopping etc. but some people forget to enjoy life. Full grown men crying about a game that they can't play because the internet was off for 5 mins is silly.

...
It was more like an hour, and I was quite annoyed.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:27 pm

LarsMac;1437589 wrote: It was more like an hour, and I was quite annoyed.

:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

Have you tried ' Solitaire Tales'... I absolutely defy you to get past level 170

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 2:05 pm

Chloe_88;1437579 wrote: Complaing? No, discussing it, the pro's and cons. I've never said tech is evil or anything like that, I even said I like tech as I can keep in touch with my family way better and do online shopping etc. but some people forget to enjoy life. Full grown men crying about a game that they can't play because the internet was off for 5 mins is silly.

Seeing a report on a concert yesterday where people are too busy on their mobiles or too busy on their mobiles filming it instead of just enjoying it is silly. It's a shame, that's what i ment.

I didn't mean you specifically but we've had three threads in as many days about the evils of facebook/tech.

Post by **Chloe_88** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 2:33 pm

SnoozeAgain;1437599 wrote: I didn't mean you specifically but we've had three threads in as many days about the evils of facebook/tech.

Never said you did.

I didn't think this was quite the same as the facebook thread though. As I was trying to find out if people had pro's and cons, and if they did what the reasons are for cons or pro's.

A lot of people so far seem to have ony read the cons that I mentioned. I never said there weren't any pro's, or why else would I be on the internet. I didn't start this thread to **** on tech or facebook or mobile phones or whatever, I was just wondering if anybody can see the world beyond their screen, and enjoy it without that screen. And if they can see the "foe" in it at times.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 3:40 pm

Chloe_88;1437606 wrote: Never said you did.

I didn't think this was quite the same as the facebook thread though. As I was trying to find out if people had pro's and cons, and if they did what the reasons are for cons or pro's.

A lot of people so far seem to have ony read the cons that I mentioned. I never said there weren't any pro's, or why else would I be on the internet. I didn't start this thread to **** on tech or facebook or mobile phones or whatever, I was just wondering if anybody can see the world beyond their screen, and enjoy it without that screen. And if they can see the "foe" in it at times.

I must confess that some of the ways technology is used by some of the sub-cultures can be either amusing or annoying to observe. At a table for two at a nice restaurant, the couple that appears to be on a date, yet both have their cell phones on the table and are constantly checking them. The number of bright phone screens inside a movie theater while the movie is playing or even during a symphony concert. Etc.

Most of the galleries in the beautiful little artist town of Mendocino have prominent signs on the doors stating a policy of no cell phone use inside. The number of tourists who loudly object to that is amazing.

The technology is not to blame, of course. It is the responsibility of individuals who may or may not have been conditioned by their particular sub-culture to "need" the constant screen in front of their face. I had to chuckle yesterday when I was sitting at a nice outside table with my coffee, at the number of people walking down the sidewalk who would bump into tables, trees, or signs, because they had their eyes glued to the screen and not watching where they were walking.

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Wed Oct 09, 2013 4:35 pm

I wouldn't blame technology on this, it's the people addictively using it.

Train passengers too focused on phone to notice gun before shooting - UPI.com

This is starting to sound like a gun control or pitbull ban discussion. It's the users/owners that cause the problems.

Post by **Chloe_88** » Fri Oct 11, 2013 1:20 pm

and it's peer pressure. Like hubby.. he got a job (thank god), and they all looked at him like he was an alien for having a phone that couldn;t handle "whatsapp" .. as they APP loads of stuff about work, worktimes etc on it.. Like he said: look i am here to do a job, which don't mind me saying so is going very well, i do not have the need of financial means to get a phone with frickin whatsapp.

But i could understand it could peer pressure a lot of people into using / buying such an item. Otherwise you miss out on "things" (maybe not so important "things) and workstuff.

Like hubby said: if it's out of work times and they need me, they have my mobile and landline number, they can PHONE me.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 5:13 pm

I got a good chuckle out of this. Steven Colbert was interviewing a guest. The guest was recalling that a certain memorable film was sold to Life Magazine. Colbert then said, "For our younger viewers, a magazine is something like an iPad only you can burn it."

Post by **shinning_like_me** » Sun Dec 29, 2013 7:33 am

I agree with you but as technology is making our life easy and simple and we are more dependent on technology than anything else, And the sorry state of ' we cant manage without Technology' had arrived long time ago.................