Everything Digital

Am I the only one who hates digital technology?

A former work colleague once called me a “luddite.” I learned a new word and gladly embraced being “a person opposed to new technology or ways of working.”

I cringe every time there is a new update or I am asked for my password. I think my resistance comes from fear. What if I touch the wrong thing and it all disappears? What if I don’t know exactly how to use every little thing? “Just play with it,” I’m told. “You’ll figure it out.”

We older folks suffer more from luddite-ism than say a ten-year-old, for whom it is already second nature. Younger generations have grown up on digital technology and it truly is play to them. My first computer science course involved punch cards, a binary system, and a massive machine. I don’t know how I managed a C+.

In my career of health care marketing, I’ve been in the midst of digital technology for decades. I never got comfortable with it. And for health care in general, I am rather appalled.

Last year I took an older person to an urgent care clinic, and she was asked to complete all medical information on her phone. First, she was sick. Second, it’s not easy for older people to see tiny screens, and third, we don’t always have the manual dexterity to type into tiny spaces. I finally insisted on a paper form and helped her complete that. I find it interesting that while we baby boomers are the biggest users of health care services, our needs are not managed. Cost consciousness trumps user-friendly service. Dependence on digital technology has limited the need to be personable.

Then there’s the threat of digital scams–phishing attacks that are often quite sophisticated at securing sensitive information or installing malware. Many of my friends have quit Facebook because of the numerous scams and impersonations.

Yet I am doing this blog, which is in its essence digital. Why am I doing this (and having frequent anxiety attacks!)? Because it is the most efficient way to deliver information in this day and age.

If this is the world we live in, what can we do?

• I know that I first have to manage my fears. Literally take a deep breath and think, I can do this. When I can calm my mind, I can figure things out. No, it’s not intuitive second nature, but it’s doable. (As my former director used to tell me, “You are better than you think you are.”)
• Don’t rush. Pause. Computers don’t always think as fast as I do.
• Have younger friends you can ask for help! I do this unabashedly. If I have any questions, if something doesn’t feel right, I stop and find someone to ask. I have been saved several times by people techier than I.

Also, I use digital only when I have to. Agreed, that is 90% of the time. But I staunchly avoid adding apps to my phone. I keep printed copies. And I still use paper checks.