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Before my retirement in 2001, I used to consider myself technologically up-to-date – i.e., always being among the first to adopt the latest technological tools and gadgets ( I started using e-mail in the early 80s and Powerpoint in mid 90s). At my retirement, knowing my interest, the department gave me a retirement present of a color printer which was still quite expensive at that time. However, in eight years, the new technology have passed the old printer by and l had to upgrade to a new color printer (far less expensive but much better) recently by necessity. This made me realize how much behind time I have become technologically due to my changing life style.

1.         I don’t use a blackberry or own an iPhone or a PDA of similar nature. I no longer use my old Palm PDA since I work out of my home almost all the time. Microsoft OUTLOOK keeps all my engagement records and To-do-tasks. (note added 3/31/2019. I learned today that Warren Buffet still uses a flip phone and not a smart phone. At least I am in good company https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-apple-iphone/2019/03/28/id/909207/?ns_mail_uid=a0dc6ec1-8b19-45d6-9fe6-004067455a05&ns_mail_job=DM21814_03312019&s=acs&dkt_nbr=010502xuva50  ).    When I travel on trips, I take along my 2.2 lbs old laptop for accessing e-mail and other routine tasks. (Actually even that is not necessary. Most hotel now have console where you can check your e-mail and access the Internet for a fee. And Internet cafés are present even in the very remote places of the world.) There just isn’t enough occasions when I am out of reach of my laptops to be bothered with carrying and updating a smart PDA or iPhone

3.         I use the simplest cell phone which does nothing but phone calls. I never use up the allowed minutes per month

4.         I am not on FACEBOOK or MySpace. I do not “Twitter”

5.         If weren’t for ScienceNet, I certainly would not have become a blogger.

These make me a dinosaur in the technological sense – a vanishing species of human beings among the educated (I am well aware that significant percentage  of the population of this world still have difficulty getting access to electricity and clean water). However, I am not alone. My next door neighbor of 43 years does not even own a computer. He was a high executive before retirement in 1994. His assistant/secretary use to print and send all his e-mails and carry out his computer tasks. As a result he never learned and in retirement, he has no need to learn (what you do not know you do not miss).

This bring up the more philosophical question “Why the popularity of these new gadgets?”. My own opinion is that these gadgets provide “IMMEDIACY and FEEDBACK”. “Immediacy” gives instant gratification no matter where you are. You do not have to wait for information. You want to know something; it will be there in just a few keystrokes or clicks. “Feedback” tell you that you are not alone and others respond to you. These two features satisfy some basic human emotional needs. But in retirement, your mobility and associated circle of needs shrink – these needs can be satisfied without the latest technology. For example, a desk top computer serves me just as well as the latest smart phone. On the other hand, blogging provided me with a new level of immediacy and feedback that I did not have before. Thus, once tried, I continue to do it.

Newspaper and TV networks are either on the decline or no growth compare to the Internet and cable TV. This is again because theirs are basically one-way communications with no feedback. But one may legitimately raise the question “is instant reaction always good?”. With no or little editorial control, anybody can say or publish anything on the Internet. Instant reaction with no deliberation may also lead to rash decisions. History has plenty of examples of disastrous mass hysteria when people are caught up in the passions of the moment.

Thus only time can tell the ultimate impact on society by technology. The world is full of unintended consequences.