Why I don't Use Facebook

[njee20]

I might be a dinosaur but do not have an I-phone or like and will NEVER give house room to any of those active devices that appear to make inane people's lives so wonderful in the adverts ......... "ALEXA - do I need a shiit ?" "ALEXA - do I need to breathe today ?" etc etc

 

I won an Echo, and it is pretty good actually. Hardly changed my life, but I like it. Like all these things, no one’s forcing you to use them...

[royaloak]

From that article "Last week Facebook's vice-president of ads, Rob Goldman, said on Twitter that the technology giant did not and had never carried out the practice."

 

Notice he's not saying "we simply can't do it" - the inference being they clearly can - just choose not too cos they're so responsible ....  

 

I might be a dinosaur but do not have an I-phone or like and will NEVER give house room to any of those active devices that appear to make inane people's lives so wonderful in the adverts ......... "ALEXA - do I need a shiit ?" "ALEXA - do I need to breathe today ?" etc etc

 

I didnt know whether to like, agree or laugh, so went for laugh especially the ALEXA bit.

[Southernman46]

Just another step down the road to humanity becoming limbless brains in a jar utterly reliant on technology ................... The Terminator films are actually documentaries ................................. Paranoid ?/  I see the effects of people blindly following their phones with headphones in / over their ears on a daily basis .................... wait until the electric car carnage starts ............... Oh no wait of course - there'll be an App to help them cross the road by then ..........................

 

(doing a Victor Meldrew - I'll succumb eventually - it's enivitable - resistance is futile  )

Edited November 1, 2017 by Southernman46

[Guest]

I just turned 50, I have a smartphone and a Facebook account. I also have a degree of common sense. That's me sorted then. Technology forges ahead at an alarming pace. I guess you either have to deal with it or live in a cave. I know of no caves with central heating and wifi. I'm generally happy with my lot and I don't expect to be murdered by a sentient tumble dryer anytime soon.

[chris p bacon]

Waiting to post a parcel yesterday and there were 4 teenage girls screaming and shouting nearby, a woman asked what the problem was and apparently they had no signal to upload a picture to Instagram. . . 

[DDolfelin]

I'm generally happy with my lot and I don't expect to be murdered by a sentient tumble dryer anytime soon.

 

It's the insentient types that one has to watch.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Pete,

 

it isn't about denying the forward march of technology, it is about accepting and effectively using what provides a benefit, both as individuals and as society.

 

I had a PC from the early days, use CAD to design things, use SatNav, have a smart phone (which is actually rather stupid and does what others want it to, rather than me, its owner), drive a 67 plate car with lots of bells and whistles, etc.

 

Social media, when people allow it to effectively take over their lives, restricts rather than enhances their awareness of what is going on around them. Better to look around you at what is going on in the world, rather than be staring at a small screen letting someone else tell you whats going on?  Stay in the house and ask Alexa (other brain replacements are available) or go out and explore the world, meeting other people as you do so?

 

Of course those are sweeping generalisations, but for those who see the technology as providing  totally rosy future, may I suggest watching the film The Circle, with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson (originally as a novel of the same title by Dave Eggers, published in 2013). If you can control/manage the technology, then that's great. If you let it, and its designers and manufacturers, control what it does and gives you, than you may have problems.

 

Jol

[Reorte]

I won an Echo, and it is pretty good actually. Hardly changed my life, but I like it. Like all these things, no one’s forcing you to use them...

Beware of that though. You're not being forced but there are already a few things getting geared around phones so it's a bit of a nuisance if you don't want to carry one around all the time. Things like paying for parking. It'll get increasingly awkward to do what could be done without any hassle before without one unfortunately.

[Reorte]

I just turned 50, I have a smartphone and a Facebook account. I also have a degree of common sense. That's me sorted then. Technology forges ahead at an alarming pace. I guess you either have to deal with it or live in a cave. I know of no caves with central heating and wifi. I'm generally happy with my lot and I don't expect to be murdered by a sentient tumble dryer anytime soon.

Both pretty daft extremes. You're probably right (and the cave option isn't viable anyway). It's incredibly depressing because it's creating a world I find increasingly unlikable though, even if it throws the odd toy my way (wouldn't be on here if it didn't). T

[njee20]

Beware of that though. You're not being forced but there are already a few things getting geared around phones so it's a bit of a nuisance if you don't want to carry one around all the time. Things like paying for parking. It'll get increasingly awkward to do what could be done without any hassle before without one unfortunately.

 

 I love paying for parking with my phone. I go weeks without using cash, and never have change, so it's far easier. Particularly at stations when you can just hop on the train and sort it there. I do always have my phone with me. I think you misunderstand, I fully welcome a 'smart' society. I'd happily do away with cash, and have everything in my house controlled by wifi and my phone.

 

I had a PC from the early days, use CAD to design things, use SatNav, have a smart phone (which is actually rather stupid and does what others want it to, rather than me, its owner), drive a 67 plate car with lots of bells and whistles, etc.

 

Social media, when people allow it to effectively take over their lives, restricts rather than enhances their awareness of what is going on around them. Better to look around you at what is going on in the world, rather than be staring at a small screen letting someone else tell you whats going on?  Stay in the house and ask Alexa (other brain replacements are available) or go out and explore the world, meeting other people as you do so?

 

Of course those are sweeping generalisations, but for those who see the technology as providing  totally rosy future, may I suggest watching the film The Circle, with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson (originally as a novel of the same title by Dave Eggers, published in 2013). If you can control/manage the technology, then that's great. If you let it, and its designers and manufacturers, control what it does and gives you, than you may have problems.

 

So you're saying technology is great as long as you want to use it? Why is it inherently better to look around you, rather than consume information via the internet? I don't think anyone is actually suggesting they sit at home and 'talk' to their Echo, it's just something that enhances daily life a bit. I walk into the kitchen of a morning and say "Alexa, is my train on time? What's the weather doing? Play Radio 2". By extension of your logic you're saying that using a sat nav is stupid because it means you'll never talk to local people and ask for directions, just be told by a screen where to go? Technology augments facets of daily life, it doesn't replace them.

[Gareth Collier]

Beware of that though. You're not being forced but there are already a few things getting geared around phones so it's a bit of a nuisance if you don't want to carry one around all the time. Things like paying for parking. It'll get increasingly awkward to do what could be done without any hassle before without one unfortunately.

You also used to have to have enough bushels of wheat to barter for a chicken but then cash came along and made things easier. Of course that meant carrying a bulky wallet around and a pocket full of loose change all of which were easy to lose or have stolen. Now a phone can take care of many things and I'm sure the future will see iris recognition for instance.

No, you're not forced but it is only a natural progression otherwise you'd still be trying to find someone to swap your turnips with so you could park your horse and cart.

[chris p bacon]

Beware of that though. You're not being forced but there are already a few things getting geared around phones so it's a bit of a nuisance if you don't want to carry one around all the time. Things like paying for parking. It'll get increasingly awkward to do what could be done without any hassle before without one unfortunately.

 

Off Topic a bit but the phone to pay for parking was a new experience for me a week ago.

 

Went to P'boro for the society AGM last week, I looked at parking options before going (had too much to take so train wasn't an option) looked up parking beforehand and found some on street a couple of minutes from the venue. (£4.20 for the day instead of £7 in the closest one) I'd looked on Google street view the day before and it showed a paystation, I've always got change in the car so no problem.

When I arrived it was now pay by phone,  I called the number and was led through a lengthy menu which asked for the location code which I inputted, it then wanted me to confirm I was in Scarborough, so return to start and go through it all again, this time it got the location right but then promptly disconnected me. Dialled again and went through the same scenario including confusing the location with Scarborough, after getting the correct location I managed to pay for a days parking.  Looking back at the phone log the 2 calls took just over 14 minutes!   I can't say I was impressed.

Edited November 1, 2017 by chris p bacon

[Reorte]

You also used to have to have enough bushels of wheat to barter for a chicken but then cash came along and made things easier. Of course that meant carrying a bulky wallet around and a pocket full of loose change all of which were easy to lose or have stolen. Now a phone can take care of many things and I'm sure the future will see iris recognition for instance.

No, you're not forced but it is only a natural progression otherwise you'd still be trying to find someone to swap your turnips with so you could park your horse and cart.

Daft comparison, and you're not painting a picture of a future with any appeal. It really just sounds like "Ooh, new and shiny!" rather than any meaningful improvement, and the reason for lack of meaningful improvement is because things had already developed to a level where they work perfectly well (and it's not as if phones can't be lost or stolen, and at least cash doesn't run out of power just when you need it). I find it quite strange that people seem to think these things actually make a noticable improvement to their lives.

[Reorte]

I love paying for parking with my phone. I go weeks without using cash, and never have change, so it's far easier. Particularly at stations when you can just hop on the train and sort it there. I do always have my phone with me. I think you misunderstand, I fully welcome a 'smart' society. I'd happily do away with cash, and have everything in my house controlled by wifi and my phone.

Far easier? It's not remotely difficult in the first place! Sounds more like you view life as an inconvenience to be automated away as soon as possible.

 

So you're saying technology is great as long as you want to use it? Why is it inherently better to look around you, rather than consume information via the internet? I don't think anyone is actually suggesting they sit at home and 'talk' to their Echo, it's just something that enhances daily life a bit. I walk into the kitchen of a morning and say "Alexa, is my train on time? What's the weather doing? Play Radio 2". By extension of your logic you're saying that using a sat nav is stupid because it means you'll never talk to local people and ask for directions, just be told by a screen where to go? Technology augments facets of daily life, it doesn't replace them.

I'm saying a lot of it is OK as a bit of a toy, and rather odd to become dependent on it. You're taking a very over simple black-and-white all or nothing attitude there. Do such things really enhance your life in any noticably, meaningful fashion, when the examples are so superficial? Technology that enhanced lives were things like flushing toilets and freezers. Not saving you two seconds for having to turn the radio on.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Reorte

[APOLLO]

Apollo's views on technology (or sometimes known as codology)

 

1 I worked over 40 years in gas distribution engineering. When I started my apprenticeship in 1969 the only computer I ever saw was a huge machine in HQ that did the gas bills, complete with panels of flashing lights and reel to reel recorders !! The gas industry was always at the forefront of introducing new technology, which over my many years included computers, both on the desk & embedded in the equipment we used on the job, (computer controlled large diameter plastic pipe butt welding machine etc). I've seen it all from it's inception, and been involved with the introduction and use of quite a lot of "new" technology.

 

2. We were in the forefront of the introduction of desk computers, of which I always had some interest in. Windows 95 then 98 was a big thing for us. I got into spreadsheets and designed the costing spreadsheet for gas main diversions, won £1000 as company suggestion of the year !!!. They still use an updated version of it so I was told. I like using spreadsheets, use them for all sorts of things.

 

2. I have a Windows 10 PC, quite like it, though I don't use Cortana or very many  "Apps".

 

3. Though it is a wonderful thing, I don't (and never will) embrace DCC /sound on my model railways. Just not for me. I hated last Sunday farting about with the many digital clocks around the place, glad my computer did it automatically !!. I hate the 2 button does all via a menu technology - especially when you have mislaid the instructions !!

 

4. Social media - don't touch it. Not for me. Wife & kids love it, and it is useful as we have family around the world.

 

5. Phones - I have my son's old Razr flip phone - I love it. Also have my daughter's hand me down Sony smart phone - let's just say as it's a dam'n sight smarter than me it hardly gets used. (it's too big also). I just would never do banking via phone, though I'm OK banking online via my PC.

 

6. Cars. I shake my head when I sit in a new car, but smile with satisfaction when I sit in my 1973 Rover P5 V8. My everyday car is a 2008 Seat Leon, and sometimes even that has me flummoxed.

 

7.So I'm personally at a peak with technology. What I have / do is quite adequate for me. As the world races on I will be left behind, not totally behind but increasingly trailing !!, And I'm quite happy with that.

 

Brit15

[Reorte]

4. Social media - don't touch it. Not for me. Wife & kids love it, and it is useful as we have family around the world.

Some would say that this forum is a form of social media.

 

Overall though I'd say I'm similar-ish to your list, some things different, others no so much, but it's a take it or leave it approach rather than a blind "it's all great!" or "it's all terrible!" view.

[Guest]

Some would say that this forum is a form of social media.

 

I think, undeniably, it is. I don't use Facebook very often but pride myself that my "friends" on Facebook are folk I do actually know. Facebook encompasses all interests, RMWeb just focusses a bit more.

"Where's Dad?"

"He's on his sad train Facebook"

That'll be RMWeb then...

Edited November 1, 2017 by Pete 75C

[njee20]

Far easier? It's not remotely difficult in the first place! Sounds more like you view life as an inconvenience to be automated away as soon as possible.

 

I'm saying a lot of it is OK as a bit of a toy, and rather odd to become dependent on it. You're taking a very over simple black-and-white all or nothing attitude there. Do such things really enhance your life in any noticably, meaningful fashion, when the examples are so superficial? Technology that enhanced lives were things like flushing toilets and freezers. Not saving you two seconds for having to turn the radio on.

Yes, I think it's much easier. Woking station car park was up to £13 a day IIRC, and the machine didn't accept notes. Do you regularly have £13 of change on you? What about if there's a queue of 5 people waiting to put their £13 of change in the machine? I have a phone in my pocket, in the time it takes to walk to the platform, or once on the train, I can purchase parking. That's far easier to me.

 

I didn't say how much better technology made things, just said it was better. Of course it's negligible effort to turn the radio on, check the weather and the train times, but it's even less effort when something will tell me. I didn't say "they're the best thing ever", so ridiculous examples about flushing toilets are just that. I merely said that it makes things slightly easier, and that's nice, who wouldn't want that? See also TV remote controls, cordless phones, electric kettles. They're all just better than things that went before. Could we do without them? Of course we could! Do they just make life a little bit nicer? Yes, they do. YMMV.

 

There's certainly a glorious irony that the grumpy codgers are writing on the internet, probably on a nice slim laptop, tablet or HD TFT screen, using super fast broadband about technology being rubbish.

Edited November 1, 2017 by njee20

[Gareth Collier]

Daft comparison, and you're not painting a picture of a future with any appeal. It really just sounds like "Ooh, new and shiny!" rather than any meaningful improvement, and the reason for lack of meaningful improvement is because things had already developed to a level where they work perfectly well (and it's not as if phones can't be lost or stolen, and at least cash doesn't run out of power just when you need it). I find it quite strange that people seem to think these things actually make a noticable improvement to their lives.

I'm sorry you deem my reply a 'daft comparison' and I wasn't aware I was trying to paint any future. Evidently the progression from bartering to exchanging cash to electronic transactions is totally irrelevant in your eyes and that what is the point of developing anything new as 'they work perfectly well now'. Sure a battery can go flat but coinage can stop being legal tender. Should we extend this luddite approach to everything, transport, medical etc.

If my reply was daft yours doesn't really deserve a reply and this is a topic I will no longer be partaking in.

[chris p bacon]

There's certainly a glorious irony that the grumpy codgers are writing on the internet

 

 

If my reply was daft yours doesn't really deserve a reply and this is a topic I will no longer be partaking in.

 

And eventually 'Social Media' becomes 'Unsocial media'  

[Reorte]

I'm sorry you deem my reply a 'daft comparison' and I wasn't aware I was trying to paint any future. Evidently the progression from bartering to exchanging cash to electronic transactions is totally irrelevant in your eyes and that what is the point of developing anything new as 'they work perfectly well now'. Sure a battery can go flat but coinage can stop being legal tender. Should we extend this luddite approach to everything, transport, medical etc.

If my reply was daft yours doesn't really deserve a reply and this is a topic I will no longer be partaking in.

Once again someone seems to boil it down to "don't like some of it, therefore you think it's all irrelevant, what's the point of anything new." The only choices in your eyes appear to be blind acceptance or blind rejection, so if someone isn't doing the former then they must be doing the latter. The other poster's idea that there's an irony in posting on the internet about not liking various bits of technology demonstrates that. It's only an irony or hypocrisy if indeed such blind acceptance or rejection really are the only rational choices, but that's no better than saying if you don't like one bit of music it's daft to like a different one.

 

As for what's the point of developing anything new for things that work perfectly well - well, what is there? Still plenty of other areas that can be meaningfully improved. Medical is the obvious example. Others, often I'd say it's the long-term sustainability rather than the practicality that's a useful target for change - I'm rather hopeful about electric cars entirely on that front.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Reorte

[Reorte]

Yes, I think it's much easier. Woking station car park was up to £13 a day IIRC, and the machine didn't accept notes.

The real problem there isn't the means of payment, it's the amount (and lack of note acceptance)! Incidentally did it take card payment?

[AndrewC]

I think Jol summed things up pretty good. 

 

Technology is just a toolset. Use what is useful to you and ignore the rest. I have a smart phone, tablet, laptop(multiple), and a heavy duty server grade desktop. They are tools. Nothing more, nothing less. My job is based around cloud computing. Personally I don't have a need for it so don't use it. Professionally, I'm deeply involved with developing cloud solutions.

 

I don't need a smart fridge or washer. I do use Facebook, but it is a tool for keeping in contact with family that is spread around the globe, and a few friends that aren't local. Twitter to me is very useful when wanting to keep up with businesses, mostly pubs and breweries, so that I can plan outings around tap takeovers and meet the brewer events. RMweb is for trains and that is about it. I keep my personal data as isolated as possible and use the maximum privacy settings. Even here I keep my login set to private. Google my full name and you won't find me. You'll find a shed load of other people with the same name but nothing that actually references me. Same for FB and Twitter. 

 

When something new comes along, don't just blindly adopt or even worse, blindly poo poo it. Take a good look at how or if it can be used to your advantage. If not, leave it on the shelf. If so then utilise it to improve your day to day. 

[njee20]

The real problem there isn't the means of payment, it's the amount (and lack of note acceptance)! Incidentally did it take card payment?

Nope, coins only, until RingGo. Admittedly you had to phone originally, but it was still easier than cash. Card in the machine is still an interim step, particularly if you're a long way from the machine (and thus have to walk back to put the ticket in the car), there's a queue etc etc. Making it mobile is far easier IMO (as I said), others may disagree.

 

 

 

When something new comes along, don't just blindly adopt or even worse, blindly poo poo it. Take a good look at how or if it can be used to your advantage. If not, leave it on the shelf. If so then utilise it to improve your day to day. 

 

 I think that's about the most eloquent way of putting it. We are, by and large, into incremental improvements now, until someone improves some facet of our life that we didn't know needed improving.

 

Even electric cars don't really offer much aside from a warm fuzzy glow that you're only destroying the planet through the rampant consumption of natural resources via battery production. If anything the day-to-day impact on your life is detrimental, as you'll need to charge it more often than you fill a car (presently at least).

There is a certain reticence towards certain types of technology which amuses me (as I tried to explain above), it's a bit like some attitudes toward driving - anyone faster than you is a maniac, anyone slower is a moron. Technology you see a use for? Why yes, essential. Technology you don't? Ridiculous, a total waste of time.

[JJGraphics]

Waiting to post a parcel yesterday and there were 4 teenage girls screaming and shouting nearby, a woman asked what the problem was and apparently they had no signal to upload a picture to Instagram. . . 

 

 

A sad reflection of the way a lot of young people are these days!