August 12, 2022
Technology truly grows rapidly and inevitably and has already laid an impact on society. Nowadays, it seems that we can't live without it as it plays an important role in our lives. From the moment we wake up until we step out of the house, to our workplace, and go back home, technology has been part of daily life.
Are there people who are yet tech-savvy? Do we all need to become one to be part of this modern world?
While buying something in the market the other day, I came across an old woman holding a phone while walking out. She seemed to be a worker in the market on the higher floor and has probably ordered to run an errand. Her phone suddenly rang and everyone looked in her direction because it was too loud.
Image from Unsplash by John Tuesday
She would slide the screen and would place it to her ear while saying "wai, wai?" That means "hello, hello?" in English. Her voice was too loud as well and really caught everyone's attention. We thought she answered the phone correctly, but after a while, the phone rang while it was still right to her ear. She would then do a sliding action on the phone's screen and then put it back to her ear, but the phone would ring again. Thus, she wasn't really pressing the answer button or didn't know how to do it correctly. That scene continued while she was heading back to the upper floor. Probably to go back to her work as she was annoyed with the one who's calling her repeatedly.
I was about to help her answer the call but she just put the phone back to her ear and continued walking to the upper floor of the market. It was a funny scene for others for sure, but I pitied the old woman.
This only shows that not all who have gadgets are tech-savvy. Some would only own one because of the influence of society or they just want to go along with the flow. Some would only use phones for entertainment and communication and nothing else. My boss, for instance, doesn't know much about computers, and so she would often tell me to reply to her emails.
While considering the phone and products of technology as one of the vital things to be owned nowadays, some prefer the old style which they think they are more comfortable with. In other aspects, many also prefer using the traditional method to the modern ones.
The old woman only reminded me of my mother. My mother owns a phone but doesn't know how to navigate it. It's not that she's illiterate, it's because she doesn't like the touch screen phone and she's into the old style, the keypad, lol.
Image from Unsplash by Eirik Solheim
I still remember when I first got a phone, that was 2010 from the fruit of my labor. I felt like I was left behind that I don't own one while others have it. I graduated from college using the phone of my mother since she wasn't using it. So when I got a job, I saved more so could buy one. The day I got a new phone, I felt like I finally belonged to society.
When I stepped into Hong Kong, that was the first time I had seen almost all the people on the street holding phones. Kids at a young age nowadays, know how to use the phone, and they already own one. They seem to easily learn how to navigate phones and other gadgets, and some are even better than adults. And it's not just those who you think can afford to buy phones that have it. I've seen even those living in the street, and the very poor ones own phones as well. I guess that's the advantage of being in China where everyone can buy gadgets at very affordable prices, especially the recon and low class.
We can't deny the fact that gadgets and other products of technology are important to our lives nowadays, at home, at school, at work, and in other aspects as they make our life much easier. When we don't want to go out to buy something, we can just order online and be delivered. We can do the booking and reservation online beforehand. We can just do our research for school using our phones. But most importantly, it improves our communication and we can connect with other people even in other parts of the world.
So should we all be tech-savvy?
Image from Unsplash by Marvin Meyer
In this modern world and to people born in this new era, being tech-savvy is truly necessary as our culture has already been transformed by technology. Some traditional methods are even blended with technology already. And as time goes by, more and more products of technology will be introduced to society. So for us not to be left behind, we have to be tech-savvy or at least, know something about this modern world. Besides, being proficient in modern technology has a lot of advantages, not just to make our work easier and faster, but also to balance our work-life aspects.
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Relate sa parents na mas gusto ang keypad phones, Ate. May mga smart phones kami na extra pero ayaw nilang gamitin kahit alam naman nila how to navigate it~ mas comfy daw sila 'dun eh.
Sa course ko, need maging tech-savvy kahit paano. Lalo na kapag gagamit ng mga softwares on detecting infestations ng disease like ASF, etcetera. Then since 2013 to 2016, de-keypad phone ko. Hihi! Parang napag-iiwanan na ako that time, eh sa ayan pa lang afford eh. 🙈