Am I a Luddite?

When it comes to technology, I'm not sure where I fit. In general I'd say I'm certainly a late adopter. For instance, 6 months ago I had never owned a cell phone and I still do not have an iPod or any type of MP3 player. Further, though I know I'll eventually own one, I have absolutely no (current) interest in a fancy plasma/LCD TV set.

I maintain that it's not a true Luddite tendency in me; rather it's that most new tech gadgets just don't excite me enough to part with my hard earned specie. [Yes, I have been described as "cheap" a time or two.] On the other hand, I've had a GPS receiver and a DVR for years because I immediately saw the inherent joy those devices would bring me. And once I became convinced that getting a cell phone and dropping the land line would simplify my life, it only took me about 3 months to get one. Hey, I never said I acted immediately!

The thing I dreaded most about getting a cell phone was that I would no longer have my "horribly out of touch with modern life" example to use in class when explaining the rationing function of markets: making sure products/services go to those who value them the most. I KNEW I was out of touch on the cell phone thing, but just the other day I found out that I'm still incredibly out of touch with another modern-day "necessity": high speed internet service.

We were talking about that incredibly stupid (in my opinion) website that lets you track your pizza online. Why, pray tell, would anyone need to know exactly where his pizza is at any particular moment? It doesn't get the pizza there any faster, so why bother? My students, on the other hand, seemed to think it was a great idea. When I brought up the "why bother?" objection they rejected that out of hand -- it's NOT a bother. That's when I told them I didn't even HAVE internet service at home. They were STUNNED! How could I NOT have high speed internet at home?

Now I know many people have that service now, but I didn't realize just how accepted it has become. My view is that I'm at the computer for large parts of most every day; why WOULD I want to take that home with me? Strangely enough, it made me feel better that I'm still offbeat.

Anyway, all this came back to me when I read a column (by a college educator) in the Washington Post. Jeanne Marie Laskas broke a shoelace and her students decided she needed a new pair of boots. When she pointed out there was no reason to get rid of a pair of shoes just because a lace broke, they then got into a debate over repairing versus replacing items. She again pointed out there was no repair to be made -- she simply needed to get a new pair of laces. Admittedly, she was a little lost when it came to just how to do that, but once she solved the problem she was sort of pleased with the simplicity of the outcome:

When I found the shoelaces, it felt like a victory. They were on sale for 48 cents. They were brown, 45 in/114 cm, Fashion Laces, Women's Low Cut 5 - 6 Pair Eyelets. Nothing more on the packaging. No promises of better tying power or advanced microfiber technology, nothing organic, nothing green, no information about animal testing associated with or without the making of the laces, no Web site listed for further lace information.

Just: 48 cents. A pair of laces. End of story.

I think she'd "get" me.