Community Chat

[Cakers3]

---

@reiki604 wrote:

---

---

I loved my flip phone. Whenever I used it, for one brief moment in time, I was living in miy own Star Trek reality!  Ok I really am a NERD! LOL

---

@reiki604  I had a flip phone for a very long time.  A hand me down.  I haven't purchased a phone for myself in over a decade.  Once that phone died, DS gave me an old Smartphone.  When DH's flip gave out, I gave him my Smartphone and DS gave me another new Smartphone.

It's all good.  And free.  LOL

I've never purchased a laptop, either.  DS always provides his older ones, bless him.

[CrazyDaisy]

---

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

---

@Trinity11 wrote:

When posters here share they use a flip phone it reminds me of someone saying they have a black and white television and refuse to progress to color.

The demographics that post here ...a lot of us this new technology takes an open mind to accept. 

---

@Trinity11    @Jubilant 

I have a laptop that is just about always with me, so why would I need a smart phone?  My phone is used for calls and voice mail, period, and the keys are larger like a blackberry, so it's easier to use.

When my niece asked me if I wanted to get a smartphone I said I would if I thought it would improve the quality of my life .... but, trutfully,  it really wouldn't.  And, excuse the snarky comment, but someone who actually thinks they need to pay $600+ for a telephone needs their head examined!  JMO

---

Well then I should have my head examined.  But then....I don't have a home phone,  home computer or even Internet access at home.  My cell phone does it all.  So perhaps from my perspective anyone who would pay for all those things need their heads examined.

[Trinity11]

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

---

@Trinity11 wrote:

---

@jubilant wrote:

@Trinity11

Thank you for responding.  I also believe in staying current if it's something that I feel adds pleasure and/or convenience to my life.  If it doesn't.... than the incentive is just not there.  I guess I just don't see that as being close minded.  I see that as using my learning abilities to tackle something more desireable for me. Maybe, I don't know what I'm missing but I'm a happy camper without it for now!  

---

I have two children that want their mom to stay current. My daughter often tells me that aging isn't about just physical disability but growing stagnant. I fear that more than anything else thus my posts on the topic.

---

@Trinity11

we tell this to my mother all the time. she will be 78 this year.

we have taught her to use her computer and laptop and her flip phone (LOL, we wont get her a smart phone because the flip is just fine for her needs.)

search for subjects.

receive and send emails.

do her banking online.

pay her bills or check their status online.

she has a facebook, although she doesnt use it often.

she knows how to get directions.

she likes keeping as current as possible. some of her friends who are 90 are doing it all also.

---

Hi @sunshine45. My uncle passed just shy of his 101st birthday. He was active in his church and printed out the church bulletin weekly. He had a smart phone and loved playing games on it. My soon to be 100 years old aunt, has a smart phone with a plan and she calls me every day or two to talk about how things are going in our lives. My dad who I cared for just before he passed, wanted me to teach him how to use the computer to pay bills. He was fascinated with progress and I have had the good fortune to have been surrounded by people in my life who welcome change and progress. My dad used to tell me that if you refuse progress, life will pass you by very quickly and you will miss a lot of opportunities in life. Good role models ....

Your mom sounds like a sweetheart..

[dooBdoo]

---

@JBKO wrote:

I guess you could consider the QVC forums as social medial. Although I've never heard any Youtube or Instagrammer mention them when talking about their social media platforms

---

             It's not only the QVC Community, specifically, which falls under the social media umbrella -- it's all chat boards, message boards, forums, whatever terms we choose to use.   All of them are a part of social media.😊   

             Possibly the various forums aren't mentioned as often these days on other platforms, like Instagram or YouTube, because many people feel the popularity of forums/chat sites is declining.   Certainly, we've seen some major ones like Amazon's and IMDB's close, and I wouldn't be surprised to see others do the same.

[wagirl]

I'm not on the most popular social media--I come to this one--but always was wary about FB, Twitter and the rest and can't understand how people put their whole lives online!!! Always thought that would come back to bite people in the caboose-------still think that way too, IMHO of course!!!

[dooBdoo]

---

@Cumbercookie13 wrote:

I enjoy social media. Back in the late 90s when I used to watch Days of Our Lives, I was a member of a message board where me and fans from all over would "talk" about the show and other things. We all migrated to Facebook and while I no longer watch the show, I still talk with them there. I use it to talk to fellow Sherlock and Doctor Who fans. I also follow some people who explore abandoned malls, stores, and other places. One guy lost nearly everything in that devastating flood in PA on July 5th and a bunch of us donated so he could replace his washer and dryer, get his hot water heater fixed, replace his essentials. He kept us updated on how things were going. I myself am not a sharer of what goes on in my life unless I choose to, and if I know someone is a drama queen who airs their dirty laundry daily, I don't friend them. I don't need to see all that kerap. I try and keep it as stress free as possible.

Social media has also been a good tool to expose those who feel it's necessary to be hateful and violent to others in public. These days, what you do and say, how you publicly act towards others can lead to losing a job and/or other things, as we've seen with certain celebrities and regular people. I know some of it may not be warranted, but that's for another topic. 

---

            @Cumbercookie13,  Your post has excellent examples of the positive uses of social media.   And there are so many more mentioned by other posters, too.

              I wanted to highlight this sentence:  "Social media has also been a good tool to expose those who feel it's necessary to be hateful and violent to others in public."    All forms of social media have served as amplifiers, megaphones, to expose people in ways they might've been able to hide from in the "olden days."    They also can be mirrors for those willing to look into them, to see themselves, to be insightful and introspective, and to use the exposure to benefit, learn, grow...  to "know better and do better" (to paraphrase Maya Angelou).

            As so many others have said, it's not the vehicle that's causing problems -- it's the way we human beings choose to use it.

[bonnielu]

No here to stay.  Wish it were not so.  Go into places and people are on  phones.  Grandkids text each other when they visit and they are siting on the same sofa.  No more people skills I guess.  No way to practice.  

[dooBdoo]

---

@lovesrecess wrote:

 I do follow FB pages of my children so I know where my kids and grandchildren are....they all travel so much I am never sure if they are in town or overseas....I like to know if a grand has just won an award in a tournament or in school...we rarely are informed, so FB helps. Social media has its place, but am not interested in seeing a photo of every plate of food you are served every time you eat out....my neighbors always posts comments like "can't wait till we are on our cruise for the next 10 days" etc....I expect to see their house broken into and cleaned out when they are gone eventually..

---

            @lovesrecess,  There's a meme for those who advertise to the world that they'll be away from home (and especially if they've previously posted all manner of images and comments about the "goodies" in their home):  "please rob me."😳   Insurance companies are none too happy about the activity, thieves on the other hand are interested and sometimes are watching.

[cherry]

I am on facebook ,because ,I use it to access other sites. I only have 1 friend by choice ,and it is @gloriajean, because I know she is a person, who will never post things I am ashamed of

My neighbor had a account ,and  had a lot of friends, some were relatives ,and others friends from her church. She has a large family in the UK. Two great grand nieces ask for befriending, so my neighbor did. She really didn't know much about either girl, I am not sure she ever met them

The stuff they posted embarrassed her so much, she closed her site. She didn't want to start a family ruckus ,or ask them to filter their remarks. I am sure my neighbors family are good people, and she even told me the entire family were horrified by the way these 2 acted

I don't know what they did, but she is no prude. He husband played in a rock band for years, so it's not like she wasn't used to a bit of rough language. I didn't enquire what they did, because I didn't want to pry, or embarrass her further.

[jubilant]

I think we could all make a list of 5 reasons social media is good for you and 5 reasons social media is bad for you and it all would be true.  What it really comes down to.... is how we use it.  No matter how each of us choose to use it, we should use it wisely.  Knowledge without wisdom can be disastrous.