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Friday 2 May 2014

When is a technophobe not a technophobe?

Technophobia is not as wimpish as it sounds, or at least that's my opinion.

While freely admitting to a total lack of interest in, or expertise in any form of technology, and also admitting that improving on that state would be very hard work for any unsuspecting tutor, I also maintain that such knowledge is in no way essential for survival in this enlightened age.

I "toil not, neither do I spin", which loosely translated means I do nothing online other than blog, read blogs comment on blogs, email and Google 'stuff'.
I do not and will not buy anything on-line.  This is purely a form of self-preservation from those who wish to  know more about me than I am willing to impart.

Only this morning I watched in horrified disbelief an episode of "Fake Britain", in which an intelligent and bright young man was 'sucked in', worked on, and finally deprived of most of his savings, his job, his home etc. by none other than fraudulent on-liners

Every day new scams are dreamed up and put into operation by the morally bankrupt but technologically gifted underworld operatives.

So-called 'smart' phones are hijacked and robbed of their data, leaving their ex-owners potless.

My mobile phone is anything but smart (a bit like its owner), and was John's property for at least two years before his death.  Which is to say, it is old fashioned in the extreme.

This is totally unimportant to me since I use it about four times a year, to call a cab.

I have no need of an all-dancing all-singing bit of sharp technology - let's face it I wouldn't know what to do with it.

As soon as a company whose goods I buy goes 'on-line only' I switch to a new company.

There may  be good reasons form many people to put every aspect of their retail and financial life in the public domain, but for the life of me I cannot imagine any.

Prove me wrong and I will (reluctantly) do what everyone else is doing, but if you can't, leave me to my happy technophobia.

6 comments:

  1. Ray , my husband will not have anything to do with Computers, and his mobile phone sounds like Johns. I am a peeved wife of someone who wont do e mails however. Colin is always being sent them for his work and all PCC documents, minutes, rotas and agendas, and I have to act as his PA!

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  2. Hmm I sympathise with both of you.

    It is tough that you have to be Colin's PA, but think of the rewards piling up in heaven.
    I believe most reasonably bright people can achieve some degree of competence with enough patient teaching, but you cannot turn a technophobe into a technogeek.
    You can lead a horse to water.......

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  3. Ray without buying on line I would go hungry...the nearest shops are several miles away...and I'm not a confident driver yet of David's big car. I regard the ability to get food and clothing brought to my home as a great gift from God!

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  4. You are absolutely right Jean, but faced with your situation I'm afraid I would starve.
    Technophobia is part of my DNA.

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  5. I'm with Jean, I'm afraid, Ray. We buy a lot online but only from highly reputable firms, not some little fly-by-night website. That said, I don't have a smartphone, my mobile being several years old. I'd quite like to try a smartphone, but simply can't justify the expense, given how little I use my existing mobile.

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  6. Your situation and Jean's, geographically, are very different from mine Perpetua.
    I live in a town with an abundance of supermarkets and since I work Mon Tues and Wed am able to shop on my way home.
    Choosing and buying personally means I waste nothing and I buy clothes locally too.
    There is no need for me to shop online and until extreme old age or infirmity forces me to do so, I'll keep my technophobic fingers off the keyboard.

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