You know what grinds my gears? Technology.
You know what grinds my gears? Technology.
I know, the post tile is rather bait like, however I wanted to stir discussion amongst you.
As you know I'm a mod of the Linux for Leftists community so it might be quite counter-intuitive that someone knowledgeable on computers and Linux would have an anti-technological position. The thing is, I do not have such a position, that would be anti-Marxist and most importantly: idiotic.
The problems I have with technology stem from capitalism, however that doesn't change the fact I enjoy using more "outdated" technological solutions to my problems in life and "kkkrapital$m sukkks" is not the discussion I'd like to foster today. I believe as individuals and society we are over reliant on unnecessarily advanced technology and should seek alternatives to distance ourselves from this.
Let me ask you: "How reliant in your day to day life are you on your smartphone?"
The question is more in the likes of, how many of your previous devices or items have been replaced by it? For example a watch, a timer, an alarm, a calculator, a payment method, a music player, a news reader, a video device and more.
It's an everything machine, and when it fails you that's when you essentially lose access to everything. Even if I buy a ticket online, you bet I'm printing it out just for that added feeling of security. I've always been the type of person that likes my devices to be very redundant, so that when one fails me I can either easily replace or repair it. I also like for my devices to be reliant and durable as well as well made for the purpose they are meant to serve.
I have what I would like to call a functionally minimalist mindset. That's why I have problems with computers and smartphones as they are not only everything machines for most, they are slowly getting worse for the mainstream and a revolution isn't coming soon.
So what do I do? Lifestylism lmao
Something that helps me not only enforce a reliability in my life, but also ground it in the real world as with every future year we are more and more pushed into the digital. Unfortunately capitalism has made the digital not a liberating power, but a force of alienation and control. Thus I try to distance myself very much from social media, and I've been doing it quite well. Since 2013 or 2014 as quite a young idiot I made a smart decision. "Social media sucks", and I've never managed to get into Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and the like.
Only recently have I've gotten into any kind of social media, like Reddit or now Lemmygrad. But that is because of you my lovely comrades. You made the places worth registering to. Thank you.
But returning, I also have a certain love for the material. Something I can touch, inspect, smell and admire for it's craftsmanship. I own several purely mechanical machines that have been well replaced by the digital. I also have old digital machines that are also what I like to call fictionally minimalist. Like a Casio F-91W watch or a TI-82 graphic calculator. (Solid things, they don't make now 'em like they used to.) An addiator, a mechanical wind-up watch (I still prefer my Casio F-91W) and get this. Six typewriters. I have somewhat of addiction to them.
I have to say, all of these have made my life not just more cluttered. But more "real". I can't describe it, but interacting with them feels more authentic than interacting with a smartphone or even a laptop. There is just something about them that allows me not just distraction free work, but a focused mindset on task I've set in front of me. They make my life weirdly enough, easier.
I've found myself gravitating more and more to these low tech solutions, not just because of interest of curiosity. But real genuine desire to actually use them on a day to day basis.
Do you find yourself having similar experiences when it comes to technology? That it has been more of a hindrance than a help to whatever you are trying to do?
(Excuse me if the post lacks structure or sense. I've yet to get good at proper writing, and not just streams of thoughts.)
EDIT: It seems this post garnered a few downvotes. Please, leave a comment! Let the struggle session begin!
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I can appreciate analog and/or specialized tools. I think typewriters, film cameras, watches, etc. are all fascinating. I might enjoy engaging with them. However, a low end Android is cheaper more accessible to most, assuming limited finances and/or no inheritance of such items. 'Everything machines' can be a boon for those individuals by means of concentrating utility and reducing cost. Evidently, capitalism nonetheless creates issues with this, as others have correctly discussed.
I would say that in China, one uses smartphones for neerly everything, even more so than in the global north. This is for various reasons, but it does have practically since all you ever need will be in your phone, including wallet and keys. This does make the development of HarmonyOS by Huawei very interesting. It may abate some of the current issues, especially given that I believe the OS is open source.
I do agree smartphones are utilities that allow people to do much more with them for the much lower price tag, that is a great point. They also are very much useful for disabled people as they trivialize (mostly) many tasks that were in the past very difficult for them.
Regarding China, I'd say I'm happy that they've achieved a unified model with smartphones really being the everything machine. But personally due to my past experiences with computers and smartphones I'm not really fond of that being the only option, and would love for "low tech" alternatives to exist. I really wouldn't like my smartphone to be the singular point of failure of me being able to pay or even worse, open my home in the first place.
I also don't like (from what I've heard) that cash, despite existing, gets very rarely accepted anywhere in China. I've also remembered now some kind of article that was linked to GenZedong about China forcing some, but I don't remember which, places to accept cash no matter what as to help seniors. So if anything, and I hope I'm wrong, it sucks that there are little alternatives to the smartphone life one has in China. It should be the mainstream, but weirdos like me exist unfortunately, even if we are the absolute minority...