Digital Tech, Living not Surviving

More than anyone and anytime, senior citizens - the most vulnerable group in our society deserve to make themselves most comfortable and happy in the use of computer technology. Albeit the promise of vaccines to brace us up against the Corona virus disease, this new normal of endless social distancing, face masking, and quarantines that the disease causes, has thrown the older generation into virtual incarceration more than they should ever know and experience. In some cases, they are even avoided by younger members of the family at home. They have no other way to stay socially engaged but by technology.

We are up for an indefinite time of forced loneliness. This situation makes the computer and internet the right means for seniors to remain happily connected with friends and loved ones, and at the same time be amused accessing unlimited features of entertaining diversions -- movies and music -- and current events. But not if they will have to remain novice, torpid to learn, digitally. For, what, if even in the most common of computer lexicons, one will not be able to relate on the keyboard or touchscreen?

“Papang, refresh your phone,” Elian, a nineyear-old grandson of mine, would say on noticing me getting stuck on an application in my iPhone. This was where I began to feel confused and helpless. Until the older brother, Jbish, saw my pitiful predicament: “Just press power-off, Pang, and turn it back on."

“Do you have Cookies?” John Gandhi, their seven-year-old cousin, would insert.

“Ah, there are Spams coming into you, papang, you should ignore them.”

“Hala, you have downloaded many Emojis, why are you not using them in your text messages?”

These proddings from them could go on, disconcerting and mocking my fortress of elderly pride. By the way, they learned the facility of English in their early ages through You-Tube without any cajoling. Kids nowadays are becoming addicted to the technology, really, that being with them just all the more dares, nay, pricks my sense of self-confidence. And makes me feel in a way, yes, somewhat isolated.

So, when VW Teddy Kalaw, SGL, thru TCTEiC Harold Santiago beckoned us into an on-line Zoom meeting or webinar, my excitement only sparked but fizzled out quickly - too quickly! For with no one around among my young kids to help me out, I realized I cannot gain entry into the conference room. Ah, this language... Anyway, let me hope not regretting again to miss landmark SGL Kalaw's incisive lecture in the next webinar,

sans uneasiness like I had difficulty in downloading TCT issues in the TCT Reader App last December.

I do not know if the prognosis of Parsons, Terner and Kersley in 1994 still runs true up to now. They said computer designers "failed to consider older people as potential user group when the technology was designed, both software and hardware." Indeed.

But when much earlier in 1970, social scientist Alvin Toffler in his “Future Shock” warned about the inevitable surging consequences of too much rapid changes in too short a time as a result of the exploding information technology in man’s intellectual well-being, students like me then should have seriously considered heeding to reeducate or reengineer themselves. And by now, should have been in the mainstream of society, saved from the shock and shock-free.

Mustn’t there still be modified and simplified devices, less troublesome, more assistive for elderlies to enjoy better the laptops and cellphones? Accordingly, technology has grown so complex as it increased connectivity and installed so many functions through the decades. It is of no wonder if it has become somewhat less and less friendly for us non-tech savvy to enjoy.

In the wake of this pandemic that is proving to be more protracted and said to have morphed to become deadlier, there is practical wisdom in, simply, living and moving on, than just merely surviving, awaiting unsure of the vaccine's efficacy. That is why, and we insist, internet services should be free, wider, and more stable, not disastrous!

Digital technology should rightly fill in the gaps to attain and sustain maximum life satisfaction, instead of desperation and anxiety, with more space for safe freedom and capacity to access -- particularly for those most vulnerable to get sick -- to prolong living in earthly bliss.

"You are only powerless if you believe you are powerless," the huge Arabian Little John said to Robin Hood of Loxley in the latest movie now in Netflix. Pardon for the anachronism of their ages here, I just mean that elderlies should be provided with the condition and motivation to remain socially living and empowered to stay relevant. Anywhere, anytime.

To be in the brink of relevance is to be prone to loneliness, grief, and anxiety, and this is where technology should impel individual's personal stimulus to always stay connected. In my time for hobby in writing, I want to relish the pure freedom and independence to gain full satisfaction in my output thru the iPad by the proper harness of certain functions with ease, such as using Italics or bold fonts, underscoring words, inserting photos or copy-pasting materials into the article, editing its grammar and form (spacing and indenting), making the material ready for uploading or forwarding thru Mail, Word, Docs, etc., for printing -- obtaining the desired hardcopy in form and substance.

Basic, no? Really, if the quest for "dissemination of truth" is the essence of our being here in our ancient Craft as how Albert Pike like to put it, as Masons there must be nothing to impede or deter us from fulfilling, not even this digital handicap amid a social paralysis caused by the pandemic. This handicap has to be overcome.

But eww! Not by those ununderstandable, insane and unreadable directions in tiny manuals provided by mobile phone companies in the units' packages, or the chaotic instructions made available in different websites and links that come out only, but to be too damn complicated and circuitous to download or retrieve.

Technology is a tool for man's advantage. It should always aim to simplify, never complicate.