Don’t get me wrong, I am not a Luddite in the classic sense. I don’t go around smashing textile machinery. I don’t even work in the textile industry. Having said that, a friend once observed that there are a lot of eighty-year olds who adopt new technologies sooner than I do.
If you don’t believe me, just consider the following evidence:
Exhibit 1: In a department of smart phone users, I have a simple cell phone.
Exhibit 3: Even if I did have cable, I’d have to get out of my seat to change the channel because my television is 22 years old.
The evidence is overwhelming: I am nowhere near being an early adopter of technology. So why on earth am I so excited about the new software program that I recently had installed on my computer?
I suppose it all comes down to the circumstances. Show me an innovative technology and I will probably be as impressed as the next guy. I may even be an early adopter. (Case in point: I became an early and enthusiastic text messenger after seeing it in action while on a business trip to the UK.)
On the other hand, if I don’t see a practical application for a technology I tend to file it away in the back of my mind until I figure out a use. The more use I see for a new tool, the more enthusiastically I adopt it. With apologies to Dr. Paul Hersey, I guess you could call me a Situational Luddite.
But aren't we all?
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