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This isn't talking about retirement but given the age of those here (not knocking against anyone, just the forum with the age range I am curious about) I was curious about something. My father is 64 and one thing I have noticed is it bothers him how technology has gone to replace human interaction. For example, one time we went to eat at a fast food place and there were these kiosks where you just touched the screen to order what you want, he didn't like that saying "What happened to actually ordering from people?"
Another time we went to a restaurant where instead of giving the waiter/waitress your food there was a computer on the table where you slid your card and pay. When the waitress came over he tried to give her his card but was told he needed to use the computer to which he said "Well, can't I just give it to you?" and she said he had to use the computer. He had trouble using it and I had to do it for him. Yet again he bemoaned about it.
My question to all of you do you feel the same? Does technology taking away from interacting with others bother you?
No. 64 is too young to be disturbed by new technology. But the waitress could have helped him. And he could have still interacted with her, a little chit chat. and he should take some classes at the library.
I think technology works both ways. This morning I texted my granddaughter who is turning 11 and wished her, sent her my love with carefully chosen emojis (she loves them) and asked her to FaceTime me if she is not late for school. She did right away and we talked and I asked her to tape the piece she is currently working on on her viola and send it to me. This I think is pretty wonderful. I wish I could have hugged her and kissed her, but I will see her in a month and so I have to wait. Then I called FaceTimed my sister and chatted on FaceTime and she showed me her new pottery creation.
I don't find technology taking away meaningful conversation or interaction. Where it is a nuisance is when you need help with something and it is hard to get a person on the phone to ask.
One thing I was very happy about - when people ceased making cell phone calls in public, and texting became the rage. No more being subjected to loud and inane discussions for hours in trains, etc. The downside of texting of course, is "Carlos Danger."
This isn't talking about retirement but given the age of those here (not knocking against anyone, just the forum with the age range I am curious about) I was curious about something. My father is 64 and one thing I have noticed is it bothers him how technology has gone to replace human interaction. For example, one time we went to eat at a fast food place and there were these kiosks where you just touched the screen to order what you want, he didn't like that saying "What happened to actually ordering from people?"
Another time we went to a restaurant where instead of giving the waiter/waitress your food there was a computer on the table where you slid your card and pay. When the waitress came over he tried to give her his card but was told he needed to use the computer to which he said "Well, can't I just give it to you?" and she said he had to use the computer. He had trouble using it and I had to do it for him. Yet again he bemoaned about it.
My question to all of you do you feel the same? Does technology taking away from interacting with others bother you?
I'm 63 and love technology. Probably because I used it a lot in my job. I have several computers and maintain them myself. I use kiosks.
I think technology is great in that it speeds things up and is so convenient. I pay all my bills electronically.
My brother is like your father, though. He doesn't like it. He didn't use technology much in his job. So maybe that's the difference. Not much exposure to it, so it seems so foreign and different to them.
It's also a hassle to someone who doesn't know how to use technology. It's just easier to order from a waitress than a kiosk, if you don't know how to operate the kiosk or understand the menu w/o asking questions. You can't ask a kiosk if you can get extra mustard on your sandwich.
My brother also doesn't like to communicate by email or text, whereas I find it convenient for certain things, as do many others. He refuses.
But there are many people like myself, who worked for years in offices using technology and are comfortable with it and even love it. I know how to use all sorts of software programs, I fix my own computer problems, I set up Google Voice & bought an Ooma, I stream instead of pay for cable.
But it has cut down on interpersonal skills and human contact. So that's a down side. There's always a down side to progress. But you can't stop progress.
I walked into a fast--food place that I sometimes went to for lunch. There was the 'ordering machine'. I thought, that's sort of anti-social. But there were four people in line so I gave it a go.
It was horribly programmed. My order isn't ordinary, but it's not extremely extraordinary. I was stymied at every option. Eventually I gave up in frustration and decided I'd rather wait for the four people ahead of me and talk to a real person.
Everything that *could* be automated, should not necessarily *be* automated.
I'm almost 72, and I think one of the very best inventions ever has been the cell phone. I also think one of the very worst inventions ever has been the cell phone. They certainly have made keeping in touch so much easier and are right there in an emergency. However, everywhere look, I see people glued to their phones , even at work, when they should be working.
I sat in the lunchroom at work one day, and there were 4 of us there eating. 3 of the people were staring at their cell phone screens, and no one was interacting with anyone personally at the table.
I also hate calling someplace and talking to a robot/computer. "Press one for this, press two for that..." We have lost our ability to actually sit and talk to other people without an electronic device in the mix.
The next time some smart mouth 12 year old starts being a jerk ...hand him a hammer and some nails and tell him to use them..........and watch him hammer his fingers. Then hand him a saw and a 2x4 and ask him to cut it with the saw. He won't have a clue how to do it. They know all about technology, but when it comes to actually physically doing stuff they are stumped.
That does not bode well for the future, as somebody is going to have to know how to fix repair and maintain "stuff " such as furnaces, refrigerators and plumbing.
My next door neighbours 18 year old graduated a year early and he and his friends all want to be lawyers, engineers, and doctors. No mention of actually "working with your hands " that is ickey.....
When I walk through my neighborhood early evening, I find it dismaying to see people walk by me with their heads in screens, oblivious to your standing there, perhaps hungering for some human interaction/conversation/friendliness. And you hesitate to interrupt them with a Hello!
But then, the Television was the first culprit in making one's walks lonelier, as I see the light from TV's emanating from living room windows at night.
And before that, it was the radio, people crowding around radio's in living rooms.
Being I work the night shift, and find myself taking long bicycle rides within a 3 mile radius of my house, I can always count on the homeless at night for some friendliness, as many don't even own a Smartphone.
Last week, one night, I ran into a younger homeless person, who had just arrived from West Virginia, on Boulder Highway, and enjoyed a nice long conversation with him and he never asked me once for a dime or even a cigarette.
Some of the most interesting, friendly people I meet these days are the homeless, always seemingly eager to talk to someone.
Facebook! During the 20 years living in Las Vegas, I've had relatives some to this city on vacation, and not even a telephone call, and I know what they may be thinking: I interact with Uncle/cousin Mike on Facebook every week, and if we were to meet, what would we talk about that we haven't talked over on Facebook?
I can see it now...a mass invasion of aliens on a par with ''War of the Worlds'' and no one even notices. They are too busy gazing at the little screens in their hands as civilization crumbles around them.
I miss the days of people sitting out on their porches visiting with neighbors, exchanging pleasantries at the market, and laughter and conversation at school and work.
Call me old, a fuddy dud, whatever. Something basic has been lost that will never be recovered as a result of all this change.
The young won't know what they are missing and the old? Like the guy said, ''We'll be dead soon''.
In all products there are features and there are benefits - good salespeople "sell the benefits." Having a touchscreen is not a benefit if the choice the user wants is not present on the screen. Being able to communicate with someone in Hong Kong is no help if the user wants to communicate with someone downstairs.
A friend and I have the same thermostats in our homes - he raves about how he uses his remotely and all the permutations it will accomplish, I simply turn it up or down when I get up, go out, come home or go to bed. I could program it to do these things...if I did them at the same time every day or even the same time every week, but my schedule is different every time I want it to be - everyday. I find it easier to wait the ten minutes it takes to make a temperature change than to stop what I'm doing and access the app ten minutes before I get home or set that change hours before as if I know for sure what time that will be. Tons of features - to him they are a benefit, to me not at all. Maybe when I have the "thermochip" implanted and it knows when I am in proximity and heading for home I'll change my tune.
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