How "Old Fashioned" Are You?

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
When it comes to some modern electronics, we definitely aren't "Old Fashioned" (for some things). However, when it comes to certain things that go on in America, we are definitely "Old Fashioned". IOW, some things we definitely don't agree with that go on.

I probably wouldn't want to, but I could go back to dial or push-button phones, pay phones on every corner and some other things I can't think of at the moment.

We do act, and look (to some folks) much younger than we are...….wife/almost 71 and me/70 in June.
 

Go back to using a rotary phone? I'd rather have a tooth pulled! I wouldn't mind going back to the days when every killing, in every town, in every state, in the US and the world was not discoverable on the internet. I hate seeing proof, everyday, of what a truly reprehensible species we are. (Yes, I don't have to seek out such reminders, but they seem to pop up when one is simply browsing, online.)
 
I love being able to get information on the internet, BUT I get nostalgic thinking about going to the library, using the card catalog, and doing research the old fashioned way. I don't know if they teach students how to do that anymore.

Libraries were always my favorite places. :)
 
I worked and volunteered in libraries for over 30 years; love reading a real book.
I have an E reader which was convenient when in hospital and rehab. for 6 weeks
and also when travelling, but haven't used it for several years.
Have a 'flip' cell phone for emergencies, never wanted or need a smart phone.
Was at a family gathering recently and everyone was on their phones!
 
We're a very technologically modern family here....

I have all the latest gadgets as does my husband... I have a kindle, latest version Ipad, laptop, latest mac Desktop.. latest iphone... smart Tv's..etc...

WE have remote controls to turn on heating, and lights... we have all modern kitchen conveniences

We have the most modern tools which work so much better than older ones, and they have been a boon I have to admit ...

WE have modern cars,

..but although my husband has his beloved vintage camper van as well which he restored himself, he's very much a live in the moment type of guy..whereas I yearn more at times for days gone by.

Despite having the Kindle, I prefer hardback books, and always have 2 or 3 on the go at any one time.. in fact a new one arrived just today. My O/H otoh, wouldn't dream of picking up a book as long as he can read whatever he needs to online...
 
I'm very old fashioned. I could get along very well without all the new gadgets. I wish they would make things that last and bring back the repairman. I don't want a dishwasher and I prefer to hang my clothes out on the line.I even miss rolling up the car window the old way and I like running boards also. I wish they would get rid of all the safety junk on everything. Nice long cords on appliances, and go back to the regular light bulbs. I guess the only thing I couldn't live without is air conditioning.
 
I'm old fashioned when it comes to technology, just got my first smartphone and have only had a desktop computer for years. Ruth, I never wanted a dishwasher either, had one years ago when we were renting an apartment, and hardly ever used it, don't have one now. I do like the clothes dryer though, especially in winter months. Have my own stash of regular light bulbs I stocked up on when I thought they were completely phasing them out.

Even though our newest vehicle, Dodge Nitro has the computers and electric windows, my Jeep I use every day and my husband's truck both have old fashioned roll-up windows and regular key locks. I hate the super short cords on the modern appliances, so annoying.
 
I don't consider myself old fashion but I thought you were referring to sex, dress, language etc. As far as electronics and appliances go I wash my dishes by hand, our electric dryer isn't hooked up (we are too cheap to run it) so I hang everything on the cloths line or in my house, I use a manual operated can opener, I bake cookies from scratch, I still like to read a newspaper but buy them a day or two old so we get a discount, love books and the library. I do have an iPhone, an ipad and 2 computers and I would not want to give them up as they are my window to the world.
 
Some people spend money on gadgets. We spend our money on travel, holidays, theatre etc..

In spite of spending my entire working life in Electronics and I.T, I don't have any high tech that I can do without. No smart phone, no remote controls, no smart tv, no fitbit etc.... We do have modern vehicles which have more gadgets than we want, but they come as standard, however, we simply never use those functions.

If I was unfortunate enough to have mobility problems, some gadgets might be useful, but till then, I'm perfectly capable of switching things on an off, reading a map or picking up a book. Living in the country, the only concession I make is the convenience of doing some shopping / banking on-line (using my old secondhand laptop).
 
I don't mind the internet. But, it would be nice to not have cell phones. I hate having a conversation with the back of someone's phone.

I hate electric windows (which forever break down) and electric seats. I miss the good old fashioned handles you rolled the windows up with. The newer ones are plastic and break off. The electric buttons quit working. I can roll my window up faster with my arm. I almost had a beetle in the car one day. I got that baby rolled up so fast he bounced off the glass. If I'd had elec. windows he'd have been in the car. 😱
 
I'm not old fashioned at all, but I think most of the people who've seen my posts here would have guessed that. There are definitely some things I appreciate about the past that are in short supply these days. Those would be mainly civility and intelligent political discourse. However I really enjoy the level of equality that's coming into our social and political systems.

I embrace most modern technology but I'm concerned about the way some of it is being used by some governments and organizations.
 
I think of myself as very old-fashioned.

Never lost my love of rolling down car and truck windows by-hand, pushing open those triangular corner fly-windows, manually tuning to a radio station in the night and hearing the spooky lost radio signals with each turn of the dial, and lighting a cigarette using the classic push-in/pop-out cigarette lighters that were built into all of the dashboards of older model automobiles, and let's not forget the audible clicking sound the old floor-mounted headlight dimmer switches made with each press of your foot.

When it comes to domestic/homemaking type things, I live for being able to do most everything the old-fashioned way... washing and drying dishes by-hand, getting down on all fours to wash floors, and hanging washing to dry on my outdoor pulley clothesline. The squeaking of the pulleys with each tug and pull of the line, holding the wooden pins in my mouth while snapping items one at a time before tacking them to the line... the look, the feeling, so nostalgic and homey. Can't help but think of my foremothers whenever I pin washing on a line.

Cooking, baking... all from scratch, alongside canning, freezing, etc, and like a few others here, I'd welcome back an old rotary dial telephone in a heartbeat!

When babies started coming (motherhood years) I was adamant about diapering the old-fashioned way, being the staunchly old-fashioned type that I am, and while economics played a key in me choosing to use cloth diapers, ultimately, it was my desire to diaper the traditional way that determined what my kids wore, not the environment, not their health, not dollars and cents, none of that. For me, taking a few extra seconds to fold a diaper from scratch, then apply it using two pins, just always had a way of making me feel good inside. Just seemed so right... so proper.

Crocheted tablecloths, doilies, throws, along with window dressings... I just can't get enough of that sort of thing, and I'd be short-changing myself if I were to leave out coal oil lanterns. Such a love I have for old-fashioned coal-oil lanterns and the relaxing light they cast.

Gosh, I could go on and on, and while I do appreciate certain modernity's of today, my blood runs pure with the likes of all things vintage, retro, and old-fashioned. That's me, always has been... always will be.
 
I don't mind the internet. But, it would be nice to not have cell phones. I hate having a conversation with the back of someone's phone.

I hate electric windows (which forever break down) and electric seats. I miss the good old fashioned handles you rolled the windows up with. The newer ones are plastic and break off. The electric buttons quit working. I can roll my window up faster with my arm. I almost had a beetle in the car one day. I got that baby rolled up so fast he bounced off the glass. If I'd had elec. windows he'd have been in the car. 😱

I consider my cell phone as an important safety tool and wouldn't be without it. I'm not much for talking on the phone, but that cell phone has saved me much aggravation and hassle several times -- like once in the snow in a store parking lot when my car wouldn't start, a flat tire, etc. And, this might sound silly, but I live alone and whenever I'm going to have to climb a ladder for whatever reason (even a small stepladder) I call my sister and tell her I'm going to do it and if she doesn't hear back from me in however long, that she should send help to get me off the floor. That's never happened, but it is reassuring to know that somebody else knows I'm climbing up.

I always take the phone with me when I'm out, even just walking the dog around the neighborhood.
 
I'm old fashioned in that I have a sense of tradition, and while I don't have any real desire to preserve the past, I do enjoy paying tribute to it.

I enjoy technology, and use every bit of it I can.

Some things that I believe to be important are being lost, no longer taught in school, no longer needed. Cursive writing isn't taught anymore as a skill, most gadgetry is disposable so there are few repair shops or people who know how to repair same. Even homemaking type skills (and I maintain they are actual skills) like sewing on a button or doing laundry correctly, cooking from scratch and maintaining a garden...those kinds of things are becoming obsolete.
 
Last edited:
never had a dishwasher, use a breadbox from the 30's, play my old 45's and 33's, no garbage disposal, hand can opener, no digital artwork, real books, not kindle, no on line banking. Were it not for my children dragging me kicking and screaming into the 21st century, I'd still be watching VHF tapes and using Ma Bell's phone. "Mom, It's not 1950 anymore!" Pretty unsophisticated as far as new technology!
Aunt Marge mentioned the roll down windows on the car. Yeah, i miss um!
 
When it comes to cars, all Brits here will remember the Morris Minor. That was my father's first car. I learned to drive in it, and later had two of my own. I was saying recently to Mrs.L that although I loved those cars, her car has the same size of engine, but with 3 times the power and 50% better economy. (not to mention the air-con and power steering)

I'd be reluctant to do without the dishwasher and washing machine, but they're not exactly high-tech. You still have to load and unload them, put the crockery or clothes back in their rightful place etc.. I suspect that some folks would like to press a button on their 20G, whizz bang, trillion gigabyte silly phone and a robot would do all that for them. I'd rather have a butler, housekeeper and maid to do those things... How delightfully old fashioned :)
 
I don't know that reverence to God, patriotism, honesty, integrity, loyalty, personal responsibility, and kindness are "old fashioned but they are what I value regardless. I live in the present but find learning about the past to be both an enjoyable pursuit and a source for valuable lessons for today.

As for "things modern", I evaluate ... then adopt/reinforce that which is beneficial and either reject, endure, or work around the rest.
 
I mostly love modern technology, and am particularly in love with my latest "toy," an Alexa Echo, which apparently can do everything except wash the dishes. But I've found that in spite of having used a Kindle for years, I really do enjoy books more on old-fashioned paper.

Also, I couldn't do without my print newspaper every morning over breakfast. A newspaper just isn't a newspaper online.
 
I am old fashioned in a way and modern in others. I love the ease of automatic info the internet provides. But I do hate all the issues and stresses that goes with tech.

I love to cook, read old fashioned books with covers, do my own laundry and ironing, drive for miles on off days with no particular destination in mind, have lunch with friends, I enjoy yard sales and estate sales and creating jewelry from pieces I find there. I prefer conversation with a human to gazing mindlessly and endlessly at a device. I miss cobblers where I could get favorite comfy shoes repaired instead of having to buy new and ditto button shops. Why should I have to buy a whole new coat if I lose a button and the manufacturer didn't give me an extra.

I miss doctors making house calls. Sometimes I just stay sick and take time off rather than drive to a hospital waiting in forever with a fever for a doctor to spare me a minute. I love vintage feminine clothing.

I miss it all. But I still love tech and being able to look up how to solve a problem online. I'm able to do some simple car and easy plumbing repair by watching youtube videos. Of course, in the old days repairmen didn't charge you such a fortune for everything.
 


Back
Top