Technology Minimalist or just plain lazy?
I have a confession to make. My iPhone has only just hit 3 screens of apps. In fact, if you discount the ECard one I got just to read my birthday card from my sis and that my hubby loaded not one, but two dice rolling apps, I don’t even hit that lofty target! Half of them, I’ve never used. So far, I have not loaded any music onto it at all, and I’ve only watched 3 podcasts of the dozen or so I’ve copied across.
This is not a new phenomenon. Back as an early Mac geek, I took great pride in my spotless desktop. I wasn’t even keen on having a background image when I (reluctantly) moved to PC format.
My mobile phone ringtone is a simple old-fashioned phone. Not great when every second person shares the same one, so you’re constantly playing “boy who cried wolf” games. “Is that my phone, no, oh darn, it was!”
I cannot play computer games. I have even less interest in trying to play them (except Wii Fit – I like that!) I could never program a video recorder.
Back on a Mac at last, I find it loaded with cool stuff – iPhoto, iMovies, GarageBand. In 12 months, I’ve barely touched iPhoto. I haven’t even opened the other two. Yet I love digital photography and playing with Photoshop. I am addicted to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (for business – of course). My laptop goes everywhere with me. My iPhone does too, when I remember to take it off the charger.
When I think about it, this attitude is not really just about technology. I’m constantly asking, “Do I really need that… outfit, painting, object, gadget etc”. I’m the bad guy in our house, always saying “no” to the two boys (hubby and the munchkin). The words, “because you don’t need it” and “it won’t fit in the house” have been used more times than you can imagine.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hard-core minimalist. I love beautiful things, and we certainly have our fair share. Then there’s the book collection… But I’m definitely not into the latest gadgets, just because they exist. They need to prove themselves worthy to get my hard-earned dollars. They need to work hard, and offer some return on investment, compared with the alternative, usually the much cheaper paper and pen. (My Mac and iPhone (app starved as it is) do, by the way).
So am I really anti-technology, or just applying my minimalist tendencies in a new arena? Or am I really just too lazy to figure out how the latest stuff works?
This post was inspired by our Weekly Story Starter selected at random from the Kid Stuff pack as part of my Story Starter Challenge. This week’s cards were “I don’t like…” and “Computers & Technology”.
I’d love to hear your stories. Please feel free to send them to me at contact[at]leafjournals.com . You could win a pack of Story Starter cards of your choice. More details…
2
Melissa says:
August 25, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Definitely a minimalist here – I don’t even have an iphone! lol
Cath says:
August 25, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I mainly have one so I can understand them for marketing and app development.