An Accidental Experiment with Neo-Luddism
Oh hai there, Tumblr.
Haven’t seen you for a while, and in my out-of-office hours, I haven’t really seen much of the Internet in general.
Love you, miss you, and however unintentionally, I’ve been avoiding you.
Making a trans-Atlantic move to London brought on a number of life changes: new job, new neighbourhood, new routines. Yet somehow I’ve settled into a lifestyle that harkens back to the days of old. That’s right, this TV junkie is without TV, landline, and broadband connection. I’m an accidental luddite.
This took some adjusting. Long story short, I wasn’t willing to commit to the new flat enough to sign a broadband contract, and wasn’t willing to forfeit space to put in a new TV. So in my ongoing quest to understand social technologies and trends, I’ve somehow taken this education offline.
In the offline world, I’ve been exploring even further my love of traditional media. The Guardian is by far my favourite read, with its Saturday lifestyle mag including blind date fiascos, weekly reader photos, and unique perspectives. Plus, I find its foreign affairs articles are more relatable and integrated more seamlessly into the paper, rather than being relegated to an A3 section. I can spend hours on a Saturday reading every section. The articles are almost literature at times.
I’d argue to anyone who’ll listen that the best tech read is in a men’s mag, GQ. I’m not sure why Cosmo thinks that the only gadget girls care about runs on two AAs - frankly, the latest smartphones and travel apps make for a more sustainable convo if you ask me.
Then there are the books. Ironic as it may seem, it’s the traditional media that really have my wheels turning about social technologies. For example, reading Inside Steve’s Brain (about Steve Jobs, that is) offers a really interesting perspective on management, and helps explain how a company can create a cult following through perfectionism and being true to the brand. Apple’s brand is about simplicity and design, and it’s communicated from the product to the packaging, and marketing campaigns.
My offline education has been stimulating no doubt, but I do miss my super speed connection. My main lesson is this: social is more special when it bridges both the online and offline worlds. After all, what’s an experience unless you can share it?
