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I hate modern life

(75 Posts)
BeEmerald Sun 29-May-22 10:54:42

Does anyone else hate modern life and wish you could turn the clock back ? This has been a very frustrating and difficult week !
My energy supplier sent me a letter but part of the address had been altered. Luckily the postman deciphered it. I rang and got the usual use the web etc and half an hour waiting times warning. After twenty minutes was put through to South Africa and tried to explain the address had been inexplicably altered. She wasn’t that interested and told me if the next bill was addressed the same to ring customer services. I pointed out I was ringing customer services then ! What incensed me was then she wanted to know if I was paying the bill then and there. I said no, it had only arrived that morning and I would pay it later. Then she proceeded to reel off a long list of threats of what would happen if I didn’t pay the bill, penalties, court costs etc. I have never missed a bill payment. Ever.
Then the surgery rang for me to have a blood test. Went along gave my name in and sat for over thirty minutes waiting for the nurse to call me. She didn’t. It was an oversight. The blood test was done,two days later I got a text from the surgery to make an appointment for the results. When I ring I’m told the earliest telephone appointment with the nurse is at the end of June.
Now find even in church they’re introducing a DIGITAL collection plate instead of the offertory so you will use chip and pin or contactless at the back of the church.
During the pandemic I visited the bank and got a lecture from a member of staff re how selfish I was not to be using online banking and putting her at risk. The same person didn’t lecture young or middle aged women, or men for that matter when I was standing in the queue to get in.
I hate modern life. I am out of step with it. All this technology ( electricity dependent !! ) doesn’t make modern life easier. It makes it worse.
I just hope when I get to the gates that St Peter doesn’t demand an eleven digit password including numbers and two capital letters to get in !

Sleepygran Mon 30-May-22 12:39:43

You do have my sympathies.My dh does most of our stuff online,he’s a star!
I can do bits and bobs but don’t do internet banking even though he keeps showing me,Terrified I’ll end up doing something wrong and our account being emptied.
He did something the other week which turned out to be a scam,and was an absolute age on the phone to the bank trying to stop the payment going through!

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 30-May-22 12:23:33

It's a mix of good and bad, I feel. Some of the drudgery has been taken away from routine tasks with the touch of a button. What gets my goat is being treated liked a half-wit simply because I don't do internet banking and still use cash on occasion.

The younger generation need to be reminded that it is our generation which changed their nappies and taught those same young 'uns to eat with a knife and fork, etc.

Keffie12 Mon 30-May-22 12:21:45

Ups and downs to everything. I love tech and the modern life as you call it. BTW your on tech complaining about it. Bit ironic ?

The good old days weren't brilliant either. Plenty wrong with the world then too.

Child abuse which people never arrested for, domestic abuse no support for, mental health; people were institualised for and sneered at: the list continues.

Yes those things still happen today and though it's not perfect at least there is support and more openess around now about it.

I love tech and can't imagine a life without it.

TerryM Mon 30-May-22 12:19:03

Love technology smile
Send messages daily to my son, see instant photos of my grandchildren.
Having a bad night with lack of sleep , I can go online play Scrabble text talk to a girlfriend in LA , go shopping.
What I dislike is that at our local libraries they have amazing coding and suchlike classes for 10 -14 year Olds. Over 60s ahhh we get to learn how to use a smart phone.
My late father , 82 when he passed , loved technology. He could watch a movie , have excellent headphones and could hear said movies.
Technology has a place I do believe . It does help
Lol though I do have an old fashioned penpal who I met on a travel forum who lives in another state . We weekly email each other to catch. Though we havnt met smile .I like that connection of old time and new

aonk Mon 30-May-22 12:14:22

I love everything about modern life even if the tech side can be frustrating at times. For me the only downside is the situation with GPs. Thank goodness I haven’t needed to consult a doctor for a while but I know how stressful it is now. When my DH was so ill and following his death in 1991 my GP was my rock. I’d be lucky to get to see one at all now.

nadateturbe Mon 30-May-22 12:11:33

I too long for the old days.
I love being able to shop online and having WhatsApp etc.
But I miss so much of the older simpler days.
I get fed up pressing buttons to get through to an actual person.
I worry about being hacked.
I get fed up having to change password/security details and updating my lists.
Zoom calls are not a good substitute for actual visits. Note to children.
I preferred fewer channels with better programmes. Sometimes I flick through 70+channels and nothing worth watching.
I miss being able to sit in the car when there's a gale blowing while someone else fills my petrol tank and takes my money.
Nothing to do with technology but I miss lovely peaceful Sundays.
I miss the anticipation of getting my film developed to see the photos I took on holiday.

Lovetopaint037 Mon 30-May-22 10:57:49

Modern technology can be wonderful. I for one love the independence it gives. I can shop online. Pay for car tax and check MOT. Got our passports renewed on line. Renewed my dh’s driving licence and when it was late could check instantly at what stage it was at. Got online banking and can pay for things and put birthday money or money to pay for things in family’s accounts. I can check what is happening in my account. HOWEVER it can go wrong for eg when passwords are said to be wrong when you know darn well they are not etc etc. I grew up without a telephone and I love what we have now.

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 30-May-22 09:22:58

I love modern technology. When friends of mine (aged in the 60s/70s) complaints about computers etc., I tell them by about my 89 year old aunt who quite happily zooms her overseas relatives and emails all and sundry.

GrannyGravy13 Mon 30-May-22 08:46:39

Technology got our far flung family through various lockdowns, so I embrace all technology. I might not be au fait with all aspects of tech, but I do not want to return to the days of snail mail and five tv channels

Whitewavemark2 Mon 30-May-22 08:25:24

?

Dickens Mon 30-May-22 07:58:30

WWM2

But I think my soul lies in some Arcadian idle that can be found in Vaughn Williams music like Fantasia or the Pastoral and definitely the Lark Ascending.
I’m really with the William Morrises of this world walking through Thomas Hardy countryside.

Splendid comment... I might bump into you on my way from Lark Rise to Candleford!

Whitewavemark2 Mon 30-May-22 07:20:18

I embrace everything that makes life healthier and happier for all folk in this modern world

But I think my soul lies in some Arcadian idle that can be found in Vaughn Williams music like Fantasia or the Pastoral and definitely the Lark Ascending.
I’m really with the William Morrises of this world walking through Thomas Hardy countryside?.

And before someone mentions WW1 — it doesn’t exist in my world.

AussieNanna Mon 30-May-22 04:11:07

I like many advantages from modern technology and many positive changes in the world from when I was younger - not just technology. Less sexism and better opportunities for women, for example

But technology can be frustrating if you are not savyy with using it - and bad service and attitudes from staff is bad service, technology or not.

Catterygirl Mon 30-May-22 01:12:35

I do everything online. No problem with technology, but after weeks at home, went to Waitrose today to buy an apple pie for son’s casual Sunday lunch visit. It was so lovely to leave the house and get out in the real world.

swimcold Sun 29-May-22 22:21:37

Like many others like technology, online shopping and banking etc hate going to supermarkets!

Floradora9 Sun 29-May-22 21:32:25

I so often think how wonderful it would have been when I first married over 50 years ago and worked full time to live it now . Supermarkets did not open late , no deep freeze, no microwave very few ready meals to buy . I had to go to the launderette to do the washing came home ironed and that was an evening gone. We had no telephone no TV for a while just a radio and library books . I sometimes thought I would scream if I had to listen to another " Friday Night Is Music Night " . Our flat was rented and the cooker was ancient so life was difficult .

Menopaws Sun 29-May-22 17:44:15

We all wish for a real person on the phone or an appointment with the bank manager but I think it is manageable for the most part.
I love banking from the sofa, supermarket shopping from same place and seeing our Australian daughter and children in real time whenever we want.
If I'm stuck I have children to ask but I do get frustrated by the lack of real people and the passwords and the telephone queuing but it's not going to go backwards so have to grin and bear our teeth.
Getting knickers and food direct to my door makes it all worthwhile!

lixy Sun 29-May-22 15:00:38

I use a bit of the convenience technology - bank, email, occasionally shopping - and enjoy it. Also find it useful for shopping around and research, but when it goes wrong it can be very very frustrating.
I have found that the best way to get a result is to get out my fountain pen and writing paper. Then I compose a letter. Companies are so unused to real correspondence that it usually gets a prompt response, often with the comment about how lovely it was to get a 'proper letter'!

Best bit of technology - pay-at-the-pump petrol.
How I wish that had been invented when my children were small instead of the agonising dilemma of whether to get them out of the car or watch while standing in a queue.

Hope next week is a better one for you BeEmerald

welbeck Sun 29-May-22 14:45:50

agree with Rameses.

Serendipity22 Sun 29-May-22 14:45:17

Don't hate it at all, it is what it is so we either keep up the pace or slink into the background and watch the world before us moving forward ....... without us.

I can check my banking from the comforts of my home, video call my son abroad and see my grandchildren. I can touch base with all my friends at the same time and exchange photos in an instant. My gas and electric supplier are at hand as is the water. I can pay TV licence, car insurance, house insurance without leaving the house, I can book a flight, hotel and car without leaving the house, order clothes, shoes, make-up, listen to whatever music I choose whichever room I am in. Renew my passport, renew my blue badge...... ohhh the list is endless.

smile

silverlining48 Sun 29-May-22 14:42:42

Yes am looking forward to when my two grow a bit older but young as they are they can manage far better than I can.

Callistemon21 Sun 29-May-22 14:39:35

Ps if you have problems with technology, enlist the help of a small child ?

Callistemon21 Sun 29-May-22 14:38:21

If you have a complaint, try phoning the Sales Department of the company.

Sales usually answer very promptly and may be able to put you straight through to the correct person quickly.

It saves having to hear yet again that you are 101st in the queue and there may be a wait of 45 minutes before anyone answers.

Then the surgery rang for me to have a blood test.
Don't get me started!

silverlining48 Sun 29-May-22 14:34:08

All true of course but with that goes addiction to devices, trolling ,bullying, scamming ,stalking, porn and lots more-nasty things besides.

I do not wish for life as it was, there are lots of positives. I don’t dislike technology I just wish I was better at it.

MawtheMerrier Sun 29-May-22 13:49:10

I know isn’t it dreadful.
Organ transplants, immunisation against killer childhood diseases, a wide choice of good food in supermarkets, being able to see your grandchildren hundreds of miles away via. FaceTime, “shopping around” for insurance -car, house, pet. Online shopping whereby it can be delivered the next day-no more carrying heavy shopping bags on the bus. Contactless payment so no fears about not having enough in your purse or a fistful of grubby paper notes or coins in your change in shops.
Live coverage of events on the other side of the world -and if they are in the middle of the night, the ability to watch them on “catch up” TVhmmhmm