Have you failed to keep up with the modern, highly-digitised life?

[aaronyuri]

I have found myself asking this question to myself a lot lately, and the answer is yes.

I don't watch YouTube; I don't listen to podcasts; I don't have an Instagram account; I don't use social media; I couldn't name one "influencer". It seems as if the normal of today is people being chronically online and binge watching TikTok or, as I like to say, indulging in the consumption of ****.

Am I missing something? None of these things are interesting to me. I don't want to listen to somebody talk for 20 minutes; I'd rather listen to music. And I mean really listen - it becomes the activity at hand, not background noise.

My fellow OC folk, help me out here.

 

[hurfdurf]

You ever listen to talk radio? Radio 4? The news?

That’s all a podcast is, but instead of exclusively from the mainstream media, anyone can put one out.

 

[wez130]

Not in the same way as you but I have to admit that technology is moving way faster than I can learn these days, I find a lot of new technologies a bit overwhelming, such as AI, I mean, sure, I can do basic stuff like ask ChatGPT questions, and to identify items in photo's etc but that's about the extent of it!

 

[Vandle]

Not in the same way as you but I have to admit that technology is moving way faster than I can learn these days, I find a lot of new technologies a bit overwhelming, such as AI, I mean, sure, I can do basic stuff like ask ChatGPT questions, and to identify items in photo's etc but that's about the extent of it!

Yeah same. I thought Chat GPT was just an elaborate search engine at first. I get it to do some written pieces for me at work and to rephrase some of my own words but other than that I'm clueless and at 48 years old, will likely stay that way. I have the time at work to actually learn it but can't really be bothered. Then I think back to when I was a kid, laughing at my dad trying to set the timer on the video to record a show and he couldn't manage it and how so far ahead of him my generation have been. I'd probably say the gap between me and younger generations is so much narrower, there's still a gap.

OP is missing out big time on podcasts and youtube though. You can really create your niche feeds and some excellent stuff out there when you sift out the crap.

 

[bainbridge]

I just see them as digital tools, and use them as and when needed.

For example YouTube had a video on how to set up a few things on our first electric car. Admittedly this is because the search engine threw up YouTube as the first result, but it related to our exact car.

The physical car manual was as thick as a bible but just had about ten pages of safety disclaimers in every language you can think of.

Podcasts are good for walking to work when I don't fancy music. Sometimes it's comedy, sometimes it's fiction or factual. Podcasts are also good for when doing autopilot jobs, like cleaning or cutting the grass.

I have no use whatsoever for tictoc or Instagram. If it had a practical use I would use it.

What about online banking?

Online shopping?

Checking the weather?

 

[Hagar]

You ever listen to talk radio? Radio 4? The news?

That’s all a podcast is, but instead of exclusively from the mainstream media, anyone can put one out.

Yes but your first list are properly edited programming rather than ramblings on somebody's pet topic which fall in and out of interesting. Most podcasts make me think that I would rather have read that however the person podding (is that a word) maybe can't write.

What about online banking?

Online shopping?

Checking the weather?

I do neither of the first two, I do admit to checking the weather online to see if i can put the washing out on the rotary dryer.

 

[Uther]

I did keep up for many years, but now realise what a load of cobblers it all is so don't bother anymore. some of it I use, online banking, youtube, some social media but otherwise I'm not bothered.
I'd rather go for a walk or ride my old motorbikes. Maybe it's an age thing.

 

[Mark M]

I was thinking something similar recently and not that technology is passing me by, it’s that I can’t be arsed with it. 5 years ago I would have been all over ChatGPT

 

[!bluetonic!]

YouTube is immense. An enablement platform that has allowed me as a consumer to find the things that appeals to me, delivered by people that I would like it delivered by. LGR, High Peak Autos, HubNut, Able and Victoria.

I haven't gone 'all in', but I can control my heating on my phone, get the best prices for things in my life.

I would be a wreck if it wasn't for Google Maps when driving. I struggle to read maps properly.

We had a power cut recently. I was straight on my phone. Found the correct website. Saw who was affected. Saw the times for the engineer to arrive and when the problem was likely to fixed. Rewind 30 years ago, you literally would have been in the dark, watching to see if your neighbours had the same issues.

And my imagination has been expanded, not polluted by the quality of gentleman's chromatography showcasing the intimacy between a man and a woman.

 

[jaybee]

In some ways I feel the opposite. I've not only kept up, but I feel it dominates life, especially being in IT. I'd love to go back to the 80s/90s sometimes.
Getting older now the appeal/desire to keep up - even working in IT - is at the lowest I've ever felt. I think that's because I feel like we peaked years ago. Nothing new is truly new. Loads of recycled ideas especially in film/music. With AI, I actually fear it more than want it. I just can't see how it brings us more positive than negative on balance overall. It will be like the Internet part 2. It will gradually become so ingrained in our lives that we will long for the days without it.

 

[Scam]

I was thinking something similar recently and not that technology is passing me by, it’s that I can’t be arsed with it. 5 years ago I would have been all over ChatGPT

More money + less time as you get older, I think is the main issue.

YouTube is immense. An enablement platform that has allowed me as a consumer to find the things that appeals to me, delivered by people that I would like it delivered by. LGR, High Peak Autos, HubNut, Able and Victoria.

Honest question though, when and how do you watch YouTube? For me it’s on the computer and I already spend a working day (mostly) there. So beyond getting distracted and watching some random things — I dint really want to spend my evenings sat there any longer. My commute is on the tube and I listen to music or podcasts, no time (or network) to scroll yuutube. My TV in the lounge is shared with my other half and I’d never be able to sit there scrolling inanely or watching random guff like a review of a HP Microserver from 2013 or an opera singer reviewing Slayer - whatever it was I stumbled across the other day YouTube is the one thing I don’t understand when and how people watch it all the time.

 

[adam cool dude]

I just use whatever of technology that benefits myself.

Facebook groups for things I need, Spotify podcasts and music, YouTube has replaced television for the most part.

Twitter and Instagram is absolutely pointless so I do not bother with them. OCUK has enough people to update me on the world's issues.

I would say gaming has passed me by the past 4-5 years since COVID. Just nothing out there that interests me. I have instead started playing back catalogue of games I have missed.

 

[BUDFORCE]

It's the social my media I stay away from.

Well also the news, but I stopped watching any form of news a long while ago anyway, internet or not.

 

[DJMK4]

I watch youtube more than i watch drivel on TV to be honest.

I have a facebook account but only for keeping up with friends, its full of ads these days though

I have instagram

 

[marinersfan]

I watch a lot of YouTube.

Rarely watch the news.
Had Spotify for about a day then binned it.
Last time I could watch sky was about 199-something when my Dad got it for a bit.
Never listened to a podcast.

Periodically use Waze for sat nav as the one in my Corolla is a couple of years out of date and I'm not giving Toyota £+100 to update it.

I do online banking and some shopping, mainly eBay.

 

[R.C.Anderson]

I'm defintely quite selective of the latest stuff.

I avoid ticktok/youtube shorts etc.
I don't have instagram/twitter (I only have FB because there's a few groups I use on there & marksetplace is quite useful)
I watch some stuff on youtube, but I don't watch live TV. I only watch video of any form, because I've decided I want to watch that thing in particular, not just to "have something on".

 

[shifty_uk]

Same as others, I’m quite the opposite. It’s unintentional though, there’s no conscious effort to ‘keep up’, I just use what’s available out of convenience.

- Combination of Netflix, Prime, iPlayer etc just gets casted from our phones to the TV, easier for browsing. Don’t use normal channels.

- I watch loads on Youtube, can be anything from documentaries to car channels. Last night I watched a 2 hour long DayZ stream.. I don't even play the game.. or games very much for that matter.

- I don’t do podcasts either but listen to Spotify in the car, in the gym and when working.

- Use sat nav constantly as I’m in the car often for work.

- I don’t use the typical social media channels anymore, too much hate, OF, fakery or folks punting courses.

- Use ChatGPT everyday, I work alone so can’t escape it now, it’s like having multiple assistants and has reduced the need for staff (rightly or wrongly)

With all that in mind, I am trying to reduce screen time (mostly phone use). It’s not healthy in the long run.

 

[DJMK4]

Youtube is much better for car content.

Since they got rid of top gear/grand tour, car content on youtube is my go to place for that


There is a massive gap in the market for car/motoring content on TV / Streaming services these days

 

[EdGey]

You really need to tune in. You're literally missing the resurgence of Fascism at the highest level of government, of the worlds greatest superpower.

Why would you willingly forfeit your front-row seat?

 

[Raymond Lin]

I have "kept up", been listening to podcast ever since This American Life's Serial from about 10 years ago, perhaps longer because I also listedn to Kermode and Mayo when they were still at like Radio 5 or something. I remember driving in my Yaris and listening to that and I had my Yaris back in 2011.

YouTube is great, so many topics, some are really high quality. More variety than television.

I don't watch Tiktok or 99.999% of shorts though. Not really on Twitter besides having an account and I don't post on Facebook really anymore either. I quite like my privacy and not really feel the need to share every moment these days.

Even my Instagram page has fallen off a cliff.