Are you happy you were born before computers were invented?

I'd expect very few adults in recent decades have ever actually wondered whether can "they go without one <a computer>". It has been a slowly compared to our puny lifetimes, evolving modern culture societal experience. Instead they use computers for purposes. But yeah, I can imagine hearing some hypothetical mom telling her kids what life used to be like and then getting kids behavioral defensive push backs.
 

David777 said:
But yeah, I can imagine hearing some hypothetical mom telling her kids what life used to be like and then getting kids behavioral defensive push backs.
Click to expand...
I feel like I see the opposite of that on places like Reddit. Young people seem to think it's so cool to not be online. Some see it as a badge of honor when they go off social media. But of course, it's integrated into their lives as it is with everyone else, so it's harder for them.
 
I am definitely glad I grew up before computers. I've seen teenagers making videos on their phones from their beautiful, clean CARS complaining how terrible and hopeless life is. They are bored and feel there is no point in anything.

What is wrong with this picture???? As a teen, a few of the boys had cars, not always nice ones either. We'd all pile in and drive to the woods to hike, to the beach to swim, to the hangout to socialize. Boys would cruise for hours and pick up girls and we'd all do something or just enjoy the breeze in our hair and riding in a car with someone under forty.

Kids today don't know how to think and create their own fun like my generation did. They don't know how to be grateful for abundance. It's a sad change.
 

Rudimentary computers were in use in WW 2. 1955 Quantum Mechanics was being studied in college.
The First Computer was invented hundreds of years ago. We screw stuff up, it's what we are really good at.

I am going with the public is getting addicted to constant entertainment that is the awful stuff happening.
 
Yes and almost everyone will say that for sure when people look back
To earlier times and youth. False nostalgia. Life was not better only very different obviously.
I know 3 seniors without any computers at all and don't care. They are not happier
 
Yes Iā€™m happy that I was born before computers were invented. As a child I had many friends I used to play with and the games we played were simple. We played hide ā€˜n seek, red light/green light, red rover, jumpsies, double Dutch, skipping, roller skating, ice skating, biking etc and it was all lots of fun. Iā€™m very gracious and thankful to have those experiences.

Now a days kids are clued to their phones. Most donā€™t know how to dial an old fashioned telephone. Lol

I feel very blessed to have had friends and the time I had with them. It was a huge part of my upbringing.
 
I am seriously glad I was working with "paper and pencil and adding machines" first, and then got in on the ground floor with the first computers we got.

I was the office accountant, and one day the Manager came to me and said, we just ordered 4 of the HP Touchscreens and one is for you. Long story short, I learned Lotus 123 and other programs kicking and screaming, but after 6 months or so I couldn't envision my job without it.

And with the advent of the internet, well the PCs/Macs became absolutely indispensable.
 
I was called into the elementary school because our children had stated we would not let the use a calculator to do their math homework. And this was for basic math.... Its funny that our grandson gets mad at Daddy because he makes him figure it out in his head.
 
You can bet a million dollars that I do. I was born and raised on a mixed farm. I roamed the fields with my single shot 22, trapped animals and walked around the 4 quarters with my school friends. We had all sorts of fun. There was no constant news about "sex abuse."

I attended a 1 room country school with grades 1 - 8. We had a Christmas concert every year, played soccer in the winter and softball in the summer. At night we would watch the stars. My mother made baloney sandwiches almost everyday but I never complained. The outdoor toilet was a little break from the classroom.

The teacher made us chicken noodle soup and cocoa for lunch. If we were bad in school, the teacher had a nice little strap in his desk. I remember getting 40 straps (20 on each hand) one day and then another session of the same sort 2 days latter. I was a "bad" boy but you know I never complained because I knew I deserved the licking. I have grown up to be a good citizen and worked hard. I did not become some sort of criminal and blame society.

This might sound like a scene from "Little House On the Prairies" but I lived it right here in Canada during the 1950s. I feel sorry for the young today. A million dollars of technology cannot buy my education on the farm.
 
Paco Dennis said:
We were watching "screens" with our first television sets. About 1957 I think. Then in 1972 we got our first TV game..."Pong". It has been exploding ever since. So I think we grew up with screens, just not as much as today. Remember all the battles with having TV become our "baby sitters". :)
Click to expand...
Yep! We progressed from gathering around a radio to then gathering around a TV as a family. Now there is no gathering. Instead, each is cocooned in a world of his own choosing.
 
In some ways, yes. In other ways, no.

My fondest memories as a child were leaving the house in the morning and just being gone all day. And I mean, all day. When the church bells rang every day at 6pm, it was time to go home for supper. Even then we played outside until after dark right on out street.

On the other hand, sleeping on the sidewalk overnight for Aerosmith tickets in December was rough. I remember the first time I bought tickets online, sitting at my kitchen table. Well, that was easy. LOL.
 
Dave03 said:
In some ways, yes. In other ways, no.

My fondest memories as a child were leaving the house in the morning and just being gone all day. And I mean, all day. When the church bells rang every day at 6pm, it was time to go home for supper. Even then we played outside until after dark right on out street.

On the other hand, sleeping on the sidewalk overnight for Aerosmith tickets in December was rough. I remember the first time I bought tickets online, sitting at my kitchen table. Well, that was easy. LOL.
Click to expand...
Now we can just watch Aerosmith concerts at home for free on YouTube! :)

Of course, back then, half the fun was the party going on at the concert.
 
You wanna play some baseball? (Plastic baseball), 6 boys 3 on each team. 8 or 10 kids is a great game. In the street in a small suburb near the mountains in California. Or the same with a touch football game. I spent my 6-10 yr. old phase playing outdoors a lot. We all did, except a few book worms. :)
 
Actually, I was born about the same time that computers were being used during WW II by British codebreakers. They were bulky machines that contained vacuum tubes.

My first introduction to a computer was during a visit to Sydney University in 1959 to see SILIAC, a computer that took up an entire room.

Much later, I saw my first desk top PC when a couple of Apple IIEs were purchased for the school where I was a maths teacher. I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. Most of the teachers were reluctant to use them but I jumped right in, eager to learn and to pass my knowledge onto the students.

Today I am glad that I was born when I was. I've lived my entire life in peace and thanks to computers, I've been able to witness the dawning of the Space Age. What a privilege it has been.
 
KSav said:
I'm a little bit on the fence about this. I very much agree with @PeppermintPatty's post about playing outside and all those classic outdoors games. I am, however, very glad I grew up before social media exploded onto the scene.
Click to expand...
Iā€™m happy that I grew up before social media. Except for my parents playing vicious head games and being very violent with me , I had an otherwise happy childhood. I got along well with others.
 
Yes! I remember having a land line phone, a pager and reading a real newspaper. No social media, not everyone shared their business, you talked to people face to face.

Times have changed, either move forward or be left behind I guess.
 
I enjoy the internet and it would have opened up the world to me as a child but Iā€™m thankful that I learned to think for myself and be a bit skeptical before the internet came into my life. šŸ˜‰
 
There is another thread on this, but I wonder how people deal with all of the technology in newer cars? Navigation is just the tip of the iceberg.

Do they get somebody turn turn off feature after feature? Ignore the options and alerts they don't understand? Or do they pick up everything, learn how to use these things, and generally have no problems?

Or are people paying for all of this stuff and then trying to just ignore it all?

Voice commands are becoming a bigger piece of it all. I'm looking at vehicles now that come with Google and Alexa built in, in addition to things like Android Auto and Apply Carplay. Not to mention the automaker's own software to link the car to your phone, PC, etc.

I'm not sure how many people even know how to use all of the features of their key fob. These often go well beyond locking and unlocking doors and remote-starting the car.
 
I doubt if computers or no computers will make much difference. People over estimate how things affect us, and under estimate their own actions.
 
dilettante said:
There is another thread on this, but I wonder how people deal with all of the technology in newer cars? Navigation is just the tip of the iceberg.

Do they get somebody turn turn off feature after feature? Ignore the options and alerts they don't understand? Or do they pick up everything, learn how to use these things, and generally have no problems?

Or are people paying for all of this stuff and then trying to just ignore it all?

Voice commands are becoming a bigger piece of it all. I'm looking at vehicles now that come with Google and Alexa built in, in addition to things like Android Auto and Apply Carplay. Not to mention the automaker's own software to link the car to your phone, PC, etc.

I'm not sure how many people even know how to use all of the features of their key fob. These often go well beyond locking and unlocking doors and remote-starting the car.
Click to expand...
I never did learn how to use the navigation system in my SUV. I just use Google Maps on my phone. I guess if the SUV's navigation system was Google Maps, I'd use it, since I'd already know how to use it.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top