re: I’m a little jealous of people who lived without technology

My grandparents who lived through the Great Depression and WWII were completely lost. I grew up in the 80's which was beginning the transition to advanced and constantly updating technology. Video games were over their head and my grandmother did not understand what a computer did. They bitched and moaned about how the youth were becoming vegetables with video games, walkmans, CD's etc. My dad refused to buy a computer because it would be obsolete in a few years, and he had the traditional mindset like buying one fridge that lasts the rest of your life. My computer development skills suffered because of that.

I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a kid. Their life was so simple. The never rushed to do anything. Never frantic. Dinner was served at 6 every night.

Today we live in the fast lane filled with anxiety and stress.

I remember the feeling of having both security and peace when around them.

Having food at one's beckon call is a blessing -- cannot imagine life without grocery stores

In the summer us kids were told to get out of the house and not come back until dark

It’s all about how you use technology. Im as guilty as most on here as to allowing technology to distract us from what is important, but technology has made our lives much simpler.

People like to reminisce about how awesome it was in the 70s and 80s before internet and smartphones. But they dont ever mention how often they stood in line at the bank for an hour or drove around for a day delivering 3 employment applications and then planned to stay near the phone for the week afterwards.

The biggest drawback is the distractions. Anytime I manage to not check the news or social media throughout the day, I always have a relatively stress free and productive day.

Most “intelligent” people nowadays probably think it’s important to check in on the news throughout their day. Ask yourself when was the last time you heard something on the news that helped you have a productive day. Other than traffic/weather, the answer for me is never. Obviously if you are actively trading stock or whatever then sure, staying on top of the news can be necessary.

there is a solution…
turn off the AC, turn on the fans, open the windows and doors, turn the phone off, go outside

besides the phone (which I am using less and less) there’s no reason to be connected 24/7. If your house is surveilling you, turn it off. You won’t miss it

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Born in 52, grew up without A/C, most of our cars were what we would now call beaters that were bought cheap and used until they quit----rinse and repeat.

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You also lived through an era with really good music. You probably took that for granted also not knowing what the future would become.

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basically spend all your time outside with people, reading and writing, doing whatever.

No way to be connected, no one can call you and bother you. And since none of this technology existed you wouldn’t be missing it.

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Like the thread premise. Our natural human essence and equilibrium between "Simple" and Tech has been obliterated.

Connected, tuned into Nature & People vibes

vs

Alienation, Tethered to electricity, AI and Magic Machines

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You also lived through an era with really good music. You probably took that for granted also not knowing what the future would become.

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True. It was a time when Country was real country music, not what its morphed into today and more like Country Hip-Hop.

The radios were still playing a little bit of big band and swing type music made popular during WWII but more and more stations were turning to "Rock & Roll" with Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Bit Bopper, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry leading the way.

Then the British Invasion and with the California sound came along and changed all that. A lot of great bands and innovations in music came about during that era.