The Tech Guy living an Analog Life
I still remember my first computer to this day. By today's standards, it probably had slightly more power than a pocket calculator. But it was all that was needed to develop a passion and shape the person that I would later become. By day, I was a fairly stereotypical teenager of the 90s exploring the world by bicycle, meeting up with friends, and enjoying the technology of the era. But I had something that my friends did not have - my very own personal computer. Mind you, I'm not talking about the shared family computer. Thanks to the support of my family and some good friends in the tech industry, I was lucky enough to have my own computer in my bedroom. And at night, when the rest of the world was asleep, I was "tinkering" and learning the intricacies of how a computer functioned. I crashed and rebuilt that computer more times than I could possibly remember. But I became the family computer wizard (...and free tech support). I had absolutely fallen in love with personal computing and spent Sunday mornings drooling over the newspaper advertisements showing off all the latest technology.
Fast-forward 30 years, and I still have those same passions and curiosities about the latest tech breakthroughs. And I have been so blessed to have a 26-year career, working in the very industry I fell in love with in the 90s. However, as time has gone on, I have noticed a trend that disturbs me. As technology continues to evolve, the greater the urgency and need for instant gratification it brings with it. The world may still turn at the same speed as before, but life has sped up. And in the great words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around every once in a while, you might miss it." So in my personal life, I'm rather unplugged and prefer the analog life over digital.
I don't have many "smart" devices in my home, mainly because I prefer simplicity. (That and I happen to work in Information Technology, and realize all of the data that smart devices collect on all of us... although that would be a whole other topic for another blog.) While we do have a family plan with a streaming music service, I still prefer my old school Sony Walkman. I like to be able to flip through the stations and listen to all types of music and songs that haven't been neatly curated for me by A.I. I still have a newspaper subscription because I enjoy reading the news, absorbing it, and having my own opinion rather than watching a cable news network and having a commentator's bias forced upon me. I'd still rather play one of my "retro" game systems, trying to get just one level farther than last time, rather than playing a NextGen console and picking up from my last save point. Not to mention that euphoric feeling that comes with adding a new physical game to my collection; you just don't get that same feeling from a digital download.
I could certainly go on with more of my examples. But there's just something to be said about the simpler single-use devices. Even the newer generations seem to be looking for alternatives to escape the smartphone that does everything. The vinyl revival certainly surprised me, and I am still stunned to see all of the new albums being released for the record player. Even more so, I couldn't believe it when I learned that digital cameras (digicams) were making a comeback. I'm sure if you ask 50 different teens, you'll receive 50 different answers as to why they like vinyl records and digicams. In our household, anyway, the answer was: "Because it's different; different from what we're used to."
Regardless of what reasoning I have heard for the readoption of "retro technology", it tends to match up with the same reasons as to why I never gave up the analog technology to begin with. But for me specifically, I have spent so many years chasing the new technology to build and sustain my career that I wanted a means to disconnect from that same technology when the day was done. And after spending 50+ hours staring at my multiple computer screens throughout the work week, the last thing I want to do is turn around and stare at my much smaller smartphone screen afterwards. So I fall back on a lot of the technology I had growing up, and continue to use all these years later. For me, although it may appear that I got stuck in the late 1900s, it helps me balance my fast-paced, latest and greatest technology career, with the desire to enjoy a slow and simple personal life. And thus, the Dreamer's Disease - excited for the potential of tomorrow, while holding true to who I am and how I want to live.
