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Holy cow - this guy still does not own a computer. From: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/going-home-with-wendell-berry https://www.n

by jimhi 4y ago

Holy cow - this guy still does not own a computer. From: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/going-home-with-wendell-berry https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/g... "Berry, who is now eighty-four, does not own a computer or a cell phone, and his landline is not connected to an answering machine. We corresponded by mail for a year"

kurthr 4y ago
Well, at least only the truly old school Nigerian snail mail scams will get to him! Seriously, if you have parents going into their 70s and 80s you need to really start limiting exposure to scams or the ability to send them money. Otherwise, you won't know until it's too late, their bank account is empty, and their CC are maxed out on cash advances. Also, immediately contact the IRS and Social Security, because they've probably redirected returns and payments to their accounts.
- spennant 4y ago
  My dad is in his 80’s and has all the tech. (computer, iPad, iPhone, etc…) Thing is, he doesn’t believe anything (true or false) from his devices. He just thinks that everything he reads is from someone trying to sell him something and/or part him with his money. I’m not sure if he’s wrong.
  - bee_rider 4y ago
    There are two types of offers that are made to me: Scams, and bad deals. If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention.
    - q-big 4y ago
      > If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention. This might hold under the assumption that you invest nearly all of your free time informing yourself about possibly interesting offers. But this is clearly not the case.
  - _carbyau_ 4y ago
    That "what are they getting from me" attitude is a filter I view the world in. I didn't realise it until I went to my local library. I had a mental glitch until I realised I could drop my suspicions and relax. Was pleasant to simply be there.
  - Tade0 4y ago
    My maternal grandfather is 95 and his attitude is similar. Meanwhile my father gets into one bad deal after another. That being said the former is, for lack of a better word, a minimalist, while the latter seized an opportunity to move out from a back then communist state and make enough money to buy property with cash. I grew up utterly confused on how to conduct myself.
  - fbanon 4y ago
    He is right. This is something that should be taught in elementary school.
- Hellbanevil 4y ago
_carbyau_ 4y ago
My mother doesn't have a computer or mobile phone of any kind. Landline phone, TV and snailmail is her contact with the world from home. I did give her an old laptop but when the link to "her email" webpage was moved by the ISP she got the error message "It looks like your page has been moved." Innocuous enough error message right? But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. So she turned off the laptop and never opened it again. On the one hand, she has mental health issues including paranoia. On the other hand, she wasn't wrong!
- wolpoli 4y ago
  > But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. Even through her reasoning was wrong, she still managed to reach the right conclusion.
  - 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
    Define "someone". A person? No.
- nwah1 4y ago
  As they say, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.
- forgotmypw17 4y ago
  >I did give her an old laptop but when the link to "her email" webpage was moved by the ISP she got the error message "It looks like your page has been moved." Innocuous enough error message right? >But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. So she turned off the laptop and never opened it again. >On the one hand, she has mental health issues including paranoia. On the other hand, she wasn't wrong! I would call this an accessibility issue, and a failure by the ISP to maintain access for someone who has trouble adjusting to changes in the user interface.
jazzyjackson 4y ago
I love his writing, it makes total sense that he would see no value in the virtual world Patch Adams is another character who has got everything he's wanted out of life without ever needing to touch a computer, at the age of 77 he corresponds by handwritten mail as he always has

by jimhi 4y ago

kurthr 4y ago

Well, at least only the truly old school Nigerian snail mail scams will get to him! Seriously, if you have parents going into their 70s and 80s you need to really start limiting exposure to scams or the ability to send them money. Otherwise, you won't know until it's too late, their bank account is empty, and their CC are maxed out on cash advances. Also, immediately contact the IRS and Social Security, because they've probably redirected returns and payments to their accounts.

spennant 4y ago
My dad is in his 80’s and has all the tech. (computer, iPad, iPhone, etc…) Thing is, he doesn’t believe anything (true or false) from his devices. He just thinks that everything he reads is from someone trying to sell him something and/or part him with his money. I’m not sure if he’s wrong.
- bee_rider 4y ago
  There are two types of offers that are made to me: Scams, and bad deals. If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention.
  - q-big 4y ago
    > If a good or service was worthwhile, it wouldn't need to try to get my attention. This might hold under the assumption that you invest nearly all of your free time informing yourself about possibly interesting offers. But this is clearly not the case.
- _carbyau_ 4y ago
  That "what are they getting from me" attitude is a filter I view the world in. I didn't realise it until I went to my local library. I had a mental glitch until I realised I could drop my suspicions and relax. Was pleasant to simply be there.
- Tade0 4y ago
  My maternal grandfather is 95 and his attitude is similar. Meanwhile my father gets into one bad deal after another. That being said the former is, for lack of a better word, a minimalist, while the latter seized an opportunity to move out from a back then communist state and make enough money to buy property with cash. I grew up utterly confused on how to conduct myself.
- fbanon 4y ago
  He is right. This is something that should be taught in elementary school.
Hellbanevil 4y ago

_carbyau_ 4y ago

My mother doesn't have a computer or mobile phone of any kind. Landline phone, TV and snailmail is her contact with the world from home. I did give her an old laptop but when the link to "her email" webpage was moved by the ISP she got the error message "It looks like your page has been moved." Innocuous enough error message right? But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. So she turned off the laptop and never opened it again. On the one hand, she has mental health issues including paranoia. On the other hand, she wasn't wrong!

wolpoli 4y ago
> But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. Even through her reasoning was wrong, she still managed to reach the right conclusion.
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y ago
  Define "someone". A person? No.
nwah1 4y ago
As they say, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.
forgotmypw17 4y ago
>I did give her an old laptop but when the link to "her email" webpage was moved by the ISP she got the error message "It looks like your page has been moved." Innocuous enough error message right? >But this caused her to freak out as clearly "someone" was watching and knew what "her" page was. Ergo "someone" was watching her on the internet. So she turned off the laptop and never opened it again. >On the one hand, she has mental health issues including paranoia. On the other hand, she wasn't wrong! I would call this an accessibility issue, and a failure by the ISP to maintain access for someone who has trouble adjusting to changes in the user interface.

jazzyjackson 4y ago

I love his writing, it makes total sense that he would see no value in the virtual world Patch Adams is another character who has got everything he's wanted out of life without ever needing to touch a computer, at the age of 77 he corresponds by handwritten mail as he always has