Would you trade how social people were for lack of smartphones/other tech today?

[tonerrrr]

I really like how people socialized with each other back in the 80's - see video. I would have been 1 when this video was taken.

Would you rather have the tech of today, gps navigation, facebook, the internet as we know it today (car forums and other information sources) or would you rather live in time period where people were more open socially and not afraid of everything?

I'm pretty stuck on technology but it would really be awesome to be able to interact with people without getting the cops called or being shot. What's your opinion?

[s14pwd]

I would love to grow up/have grown up without all this social bullshit.

Its just an excuses for not actually doing anything or meeting real people and it drives me crazy. I waffleswaffleswaffleswafflesing hope Facebook dies a horrible death! (I know its not alive...I think)

[lolcantturn]

When Hurricane Sandy rolled along and cut off power and cellular phone usage, I actually had a blast. You had to show up at your friend's house and get them out of what they were doing without ever texting them that you were going to show up, it was pretty sweet and fun.

[redsubdivisions]

I wish I would have grown up in the 80's; that was a pinnacle time for technology and not so overwhelming to the point of becoming a hermit.

I grew up in the 90's, so it wasn't bad. That was the last true era of actual, physical social interaction. Or at least in my opinion. lol

[wikkid]

Some things are lost, others gained. I grew up without, happily, and now I partake of the interwebz and tech, happily. But I am glad I grew up without it and saw it evolving around me as an older person. No one can say that who was born in the smartphone age, unless they grow up in some off-grid situation somewhere, and then get plopped down into tech-world later in life.

[Fusion]

I grew up around the AOL boom, but still took my bike and knocked on doors to get friends to go do bull5hit.
Even though most of us had NES/SNES, we'd only play videogames when it was crappy outside or at arcades.

Although I wouldn't be in touch with half the people on my Facebook if I didn't have it. Either because of location or little "need" to contact them.

[mcr_driver]

A/s/l?

[tonerrrr]

I grew up around the AOL boom, but still took my bike and knocked on doors to get friends to go do bull5hit.
Even though most of us had NES/SNES, we'd only play videogames when it was crappy outside or at arcades.

Although I wouldn't be in touch with half the people on my Facebook if I didn't have it. Either because of location or little "need" to contact them.

Yep, video games were more of an all night or rainy day type of thing, never an all day thing otherwise.

[Kevinl]

I grew up in the 80's I was born in 1982 I'm an old fart by R3v standards and I miss the 80's & 90's although the tech boom has done a lot of good things I think in the long run it does more harm than good

I do not have a facebook either and didn't get a smartphone till last year

I think that is why I love the E30 so much, modern enough to have electronic multi port fuel injection and creature comforts but doesn't have 18 air bags, stability control, idrive and an extra 700 pounds of weight

[BlackbirdM3]

I was born in the late '70s (yes I remember TVs with out remotes, rotary dial phones ect) and I'm glad I was. People give me a hard time because I absolutely despise text messaging, and so called smart phones. If someone texts me, its ignored and more or less send directly to trash. I'd so much rather talk with the person who is trying to communicate with me. Besides it takes less effort to just call and talk to the person. I seriously feel that texting will be the downfall of humanity. People have forgotten how to talk with one another, and because of it have become far less social.

I had two interesting things happen to me this past weekend. I went back to the town I was born in (I haven't been back there since '96) because I wanted to see the area. I ended up staying at a motel there. An old guy who was parked next to me noted the Lockheed Skunkworks logo in my rear window, and also my licence plate. He asked if I worked at the Skunkworks. I said no, but I was a huge fan of the SR-71. As it turns out, he was one of the people who worked on the air conditioning units on the SR-71 at Palmdale. We ended up standing there for a good hour just talking. It was pretty cool

The second thing that happened was at a fly-in at the local airport there. As a little kid back in the '80s I always helped my Dad help setup for the event every year. At anyrate, I was just kinda standing around waiting for things to kinda get rolling and this cute girl about my age or so asked if I was from around there, like she knew me from a long time ago. I kinda laughed and said yes, but I left 30 years ago. I still don't know if we might have gone to elementary school together. We stood there and chit-chatted for half an hour or so about how much the area has changed, and how much it hasn't. Another ironic thing was that I think her older brother might have been one of my dad's students at the high school.

What I found interesting was that people up there were willing to openly talk to random strangers. It was really kinda cool. Its not something that happens much here in suburbia. I couldn't tell you the last time a random person even said hi to me around here let alone was interested in actually talking. Perhaps its just the area, or maybe its a generational thing. Or both. People will call me anti-social because I don't partake in text messaging and that sort of thing, I'd rather talk to someone in person. I'm very social if someone wants to talk with me. Still, I feel like I'm the odd person out almost like I'm the odd person who doesn't want to text the person sitting right next to me rather than looking at them and talking face to face. It seems to me, the more technology is used, the less social people become. I seriously think this is a bad thing.

I see that people can't spell, won't talk to other people in person, are distracted while they are driving or for that matter even walking. Its like peoples (anti)social life is more important than what is going on in the world around them. I have people walk out in the street in front of me all the time. They don't even notice they are in the middle of the street until someone honks a horn at them. Seriously, people need to unplug and learn to be social and to be aware of the people and world around them.

Will

[e30vert]

Grew up during the 80's and it was amazing! It was an era in which people still were not fearful of every new person that entered their "orbit". It was just generally accepted that people were good natured and not out to find a way to exploit you financially, emotionally, physically, etc.

The 80's generation encouraged interaction with others and although I miss that very much in current day society I also am a product of the technological revolution- computers , laptops, smartphones, gps and so forth. Understanding what technology can do to benefit myself and others never ceases to amaze me as there are new and innovative way it is being used. Would I trade in all the technology and electronic benefits to go back to the 80's - No. Would I strive to make current day interactions more like they were in the 80's while retaining all the virtues that current technology brings - YES and thats what I do.
I do want my cake and be able to eat it to! I think that one can "strike a balance" between using their technological gadgets and being able and willing to have meaningful conversations. Everything in moderation is fine. Its only when something is done to excess that things dont go so well.

Oh, the 80's were big on cocaine use as validated by the guy licking his lips with the blue shirt and says "Totally F'ed up" and indicates he is partying in the above posted video. Growing up in Los Angeles it heavily proliferated the dance club scene and was more accepted than in today's world.

No vote in the Poll here as you did not enable multichoice voting as I would like to vote for both options.

[Quadrajet]

I was born in the late 60's and went thru High school in the 80's.

I have noticed a definite "heads down" eyes on the phone stuff and it's very annoying. My niece does this quite a bit during gatherings, so she's never really "there".

It seems that some folks who have the "constant tech" preoccupation are pretty testy when it comes to speaking face to face. I find it odd to say the least. I think it tends to magnify when someone is slightly introverted as well.

[Thizzelle]

facebook is like a highschool reunion everyday

[Exodus_2pt0]

$10 flip phone user here, I do not miss my Iphone.

I have seriously been considering closing out my facebook account as well. After a while all of these things seem to become more of a burden than a pleasure.

As far as the "eyes down" comment, I agree. One of my favorite things to do these days is people watch when I'm in public. Most are completely oblivious due to their technology.

Don't get me wrong, when I get home and finish up my routines for the day, out comes the Nexus.

[Balleristic31]

I think this is a big problem for the 2-10 year old age bracket nowadays. 90% of kids I see spend all of their time on an iPad/mommy and daddy's cell phone playing games. No outside activity, no social interaction. They are GLUED to these screens. And parents love it cause it keeps the kids attention so easily!

If we think people are becoming unsocial now, imagine 15-20 years fom now when all of these kids are adults.