Excerpts from “Some People Should Be Afraid Of Computers”, but modernized.
“Computers won’t make toast or vacuum a carpet, and despite the existence of programs for filing recipies, personal financial records, or names and addresses but because we have smartphones that keep track of phone numbers, addresses, social media presence, bank account information, biometric readings, tand every single password you’ve ever used, there are many who feel no one feels that a paper or index card system is more than adequate for their current or forseeable needs.”
“A self-employed photographer, for example, might not feel justified in spending a couple of thousand dollars and several hours of learning time on a computer that will do the monthly books in half an hour instead of the hour it takes without one. help them process their photos and make edits that take their work from amateur to professional. Perhaps the money would be better spent on darkroom or camera equipment.“
“But it seems unlikely that every person in America, let alone and even the world, will findfinds it necessary or cost effectiveat any cost to own or use a computer for storing or manipulating large amounts of datato access the everyday functions found on the internet.”
“The most obvious reason for not finding time to sit down at a computer is simply not having the time to interact with people in real life or fulfill their responsibilities is because they use their time on computers watching funny videos or looking at cats.”
“We see users depicted as fanatics who grow round shouldered from hunching over their computers for hours or days on end who can’t go more than 5 minutes without looking at the constant stream of information coming from their phones.”
“It pays to remember that your own interest in computing can’t be forced on others merely by sticking a computer in the office and telling them to learn to use it capability to use computers will be one of the main reasons you get hired or turned down for jobs.”
“There is an answer to problems of this type. It may require calling the computer dealer, or even the manufacturer of the computer or software to get an explanation a quick Google search, but it’s important to remember that the answer does exist.”
Here’s an embed of the entire magazine with the article. If you want to read the entire article yourself, it starts on page 57.
Another fun article from The Baltimore Sun from 1994: Fear of technology: It may be the phobia of the ’90s
Artist’s Statement
I grew up using computers. My dad found his way into the computer industry rather early on, and so we always had computer equipment at home (and still do today)(closets full of it). Because of my early and constant exposure to computers, my use of them has become pretty second nature. I was even briefly started pursuing a computer science degree until I figured out I’m not a huge fan of coding, but I digress.
My capability to use computers and troubleshoot nearly any issue I encounter is a major part of my identity. Among my friends and peers, it seems like I inevitably get the reputation of being the resident “computer guy” who can answer any question, or at least find one after some tinkering. I have roommates who are computer engineers who ask me questions sometimes. I feel wildly inadequate to answer their questions, but regardless, I’m a computer dude.
Having grown up alongside computer capabilities, I was interested in how computer geeks were represented early in the computing revolution. I thought of representations of young computer dudes in films like WarGames, The Last Starfighter, and Tron, but I just couldn’t decide on how I could tie that into my own self representation other than my shared love for video games.
With no answers clearly presenting themselves to me, I dove deeper into the representation of computer usage in the 80’s and 90’s. I was surprised to come across the concept of “computerphobia.” During the beginning of personal computer proliferation, there was a lot of resistance to the technology, but the resistance was also accompanied by a legitimate fear of computers. When I stumbled across the title of a 1983 article of the magazine Personal Computing, “Some People Should Be Afraid Of Computers,” I knew that I had to do something with it.
I read the article (which was a fascinating cross section of the time) and pulled some paragraphs out of it. I then updated those paragraphs to be accurate to a modern-day analysis of computer usage. Everyone has computers sitting in their pockets that are more powerful than anyone in the 80’s could have imagined, and our integration with technology will only further in the coming years. The way we casually use our smartphones today would baffle someone who only had the personal computers of the 80’s and 90’s.
Now our fears of computers and technology aren’t whether they’re worth the time to learn, but rather that we’re using them too much. It’s easy to become dependent on technology to understand the world around us. We lean on social media to understand ourselves and interact with close friends. Our identities are intertwined with how we decide to use the wealth of technology that exists at our finger tips. Will we use it wisely, or should some people really be afraid of computers?
