Thanks For That Dad.
My Dad does not ‘get’ social media…in fact he just barely gets technology. While he’s now able to navigate “the email” and his mobile phone, he has zero time for social media.
Spurred on by an ‘insightful’ comment last night, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane reflecting on how far he’s come.
It all started back when he gave me a mobile when I went to university. It was such a huge deal, I can still remember him giving it to me and how excited I was.
He however, had no idea how it worked – mainly how much it would cost.
That was nothing compared to the time he thought that using a cordless phone was the same as a mobile and charged by the minute. Oh the hilarity (and teenage angst that he had to deal with in response – poor guy).
Then there was the time he got a mobile of his own and was learning to text. He’d send a text only to call me straight away to see if it worked.
Let’s just there were a lot of these…
“Hi, it’s Dad”
“Hi it’s”
“Did you get this?”
Sound familiar?
Since the dawn of Facebook and then Twitter Dad has been very vocal about his disdain towards new media. He thinks that social networking is for morons, contributes to illiteracy, and is for losers with too much time on their hands.
Charming, no?
It’s all quite funny really, but tonight came the best quote yet (one I found more than a little humorous considering the reason I am in Sydney at the moment is due to blogging and social media!) Drum roll please; my Dad’s insights on the place of social media:
“When I’m King of the Universe I’m banning twitter and whatever that other shit thing is (Facebook).”
Thanks Dad.
Have you got a family member like this. What dooseys have they come up with?
Mummble
Stitch Baby + Kids
Too funny. I know a lot of people with exactly the same views! I love the story of the text message – very familiar!
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My husband is technically minded (he used to be a computer tech) but refuses to join any form of social media. He says it’s for geeks. This view was also held by his older sister but she and her husband have recently joined facebook.
My mum has more idea of how to use facebook than my husband and mum really doesn’t know how to use a computer, but she’s learnt how to navigate through facebook to be able to see photos of her grandson and great nephews and nieces.
That’s an interesting opinion – maybe because I use SM for such highly relational purposes that though I can’t wait for the iPhone5 release it’s not about specs but function. I know it *is* geeky to be on Twitter but it does feel like that at all to me :)
I don’t believe it’s ‘geeky’, it’s just the way society relates now. I’ve found it to be a wonderful prayer chain facilitator.
One of my close friends was gravely ill and we had a group of almost 300 people praying for her.
I’m hopeless at making phone calls, so for me, it’s the best way of being able to contact people.
My parents are both on Facebook now, and addicted!
Twitter though? It’s still the old “Why do you want to tell people what you’re having for breakfast?” Sigh.
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It’s such an inter-generational tool – quite unique is SM and maybe part of it’s success?
Hehe!! Fabulous! My dad is much the same, whereas my mum is pretty social media savvy. Love how they call it “the email”.
My Dad always asks: “Face who?” and “Who’s a Twit?” :)
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Love it!