20210806 : Obsolence

When i was a boy, we used to listen to the radio a lot. It was a big as a whole cabinet. In 1982 we got our first tv. Later my dad tried sometime to explain how it worked, the vacuum tubes etc. Everything flew above my head. 

I remember him telling me about how a new thing called 'transistors' were taking over the world. I couldn't understand anything. But I suspect my leaning towards electronics started from there, for I had no clue what he was talking about and I wanted to know.

My uncle (my dad's brother) had visited us from the US. He worked with NASA. I would overhear some of his conversations with others. They spoke about the advancements done in computers. I had no clue what they were talking about.

The next time he came, late 80's or 1990 I think, he gave me a Casio scientific calculator. We weren't allowed using the calculators then still. I didn't know what many of the functions meant. But I do remember that my dad was fascinated more by it than I was.

I do also remember my uncle talking about some exciting research happening in 3D printing. I had no idea about it and couldn't care less.

I don't recollect discussing anything else technical or technology related with my dad for the entire duration of my pre-university or during my engineering days. I was absorbed in my own world...

I got my first job in 1997 as a programmer. My dad was not very sure of it. Not because it was not considered a good job, but because he did not know what it was. I struggled very much to explain it to him but was unsuccessful.

Next I was was trying to explain what the internet was. Again I fell short. Next came e-mail and chat (it was still Yahoo chat days). No success again.

Next he had a smartphone. He would converse with me sometimes about things and used to speak treating software, internet, Google, email, apps all interchangeably. He would have some notion and made his own sense of it.

In recent times, he would look at what the phone is capable of with a kind of reverence. When I could, i tried to make him use (not understand) some things. But I was not successful in getting him to send a message on WhatsApp.

Amazon alexa was nothing short of pure magic!

I don't know how and why he became distant from it. He was an electrical engineer himself and had worked widely in the industry. 

Did I feel he was any lesser because of this? Definitely not. He was the same disciplined, honest, kind, humourous person I've always known throughout.

However, I very much think this was a big hinderance to his. He lost out of so many conveniences because of this deficiency. He could never use the convenience of email, chats, getting information online, online banking, digital payments, online purchasing, etc. It surely could have made his life more convenient and easier.

I feel a bit guilty too. I was too involved in my own life and could have done my bit during that time in the 90's and helped in a better understanding of things coming. I am not sure...

These days, I see my daughters roll their eyes when their grandmothers say or do something they consider silly on the phone or tablet or tv and know it happening again.

We don't have to do a Phd. in everything. It is impossible to know everything. But many day to day things, I feel we should try to understand them - as a user surely and a bit scratching the surface if we can and afford the time.

When I was younger and the democratisation of information gad started (there was no Wikipedia yet), I used to spend hours on a site called howstuffworks.com just curious about many things - nothing about my work or line of studies. It made me understand many things- that I used, but have no Idea how they work. I don't know if there are still good . They may have an app now 🙂.

Today, there are many things - wiki, YouTube, etc. Several things basically.

When I come across some nugget, it feels great. Some technology things, I am positively happy to know - only because I am more comfortable with it. Many others, like genetic engineering or something else, the emotion is usually that its scary the things that they can do. Its usually because I don't understand it that well.

Often, we hear someone saying that that's not my line, or its not my interest or I don't do those things, etc. I am assuming that is how it starts...

I feel none of us become any lesser because of it. We will be just as valuable. We will be current but our knowledge will become obsolete. Very soon, we will not be able to do things ourselves and find our dependence increasing.

It's something i fear. I feel it not only increases dependency but my own feeling of relevance. I might hasten the ageing process.

It is compounded by a general inability to find dependable information. Everything is free but not easily available. Almost everything dished up online is what is trending and not really insightful. I imagine social media will be more of the same thing. Mainstream media we only get what's most sensational!

So yeah, getting good stuff is getting difficult. Not impossible though. We just have to look harder below the clutter on top.

I guess it starts by embracing all developments, whether we like it or not or whether we are comfortable with it or not.

Next time I feel it's not my cup of tea. Its probably THE tea i need.

(That's metaphorically speaking only. I hate tea otherwise 🙂)...