Mine hit me with the “We’re spending all this money on you now so you can’t grow up and say we didn’t spend money on you when your were a kid.”
My dad, the tech genius that he is, has been against every minor step forward since the 90’s:
“Why do i need an answering machine, if they need me, they’ll call back.” He worked for himself as a handyman, so this is plain ridiculous. Finally, someone gives him an answering machine and suddenly it’s “This is awesome! I never miss a call! I’ve got so much work!” Later it was “Why do I need a debit card? I can just write a check!” which evolved to “It’s so convenient! I can get gas, even when they’re closed!” He repeated the answering machine argument when cell phones arrived, and repeated the results when he finally got one.
It’s a running theme in his life. The one that really gobsmacked me was when he proudly declared “the Internet can’t hurt me if i don’t get on it!”
I think the saddest part about this is the phenomenon where people who didn’t understand tech were scared of new stuff that was actually really neat and helpful…
…and nowadays they’re ridiculously trusting of shiny user-friendly corporate garbage that spies on them and manipulates them.
Hilariously relevant username, considering I was just going to reply with a “we’re too far from swinging in the trees now to handle it”.
Haha yay, first time I got a “username checks out”! :D hahaha.
Reject predatory techbro products, return to monke! XD
“the Internet can’t hurt me if i don’t get on it!”
Wise words, old man. o7
I fought against getting a contactless debit card for so long. I used to call my bank a month or so before my card expired demanding a non-contactless card. “But sir, you could just not activate the contact…” I don’t want any of it. I’d say “when I forget my pin it’s time to go home” paying chip and PIN like a peasant. I probably said “PIN Number” for how stupid I was being.
Anyway, contactless payment is awesome.
My fears are still grounded. Originally it was because, near weekly, I saw someone paying with a card they just picked off the floor. I hated the limit being so high long before they raised it, let alon after they raised it again. Also a skill check before ordering another beer has some merit.
i went tapa nd pay with CC recently, because i was still using the sliding feature for the longest time, because cc stealers can easily put on thier readers in a matter of seconds you wouldnt know.
So when you walk up to a terminal with your Visa and you tap your card it inputs a one time code. That code only matches up on the point of sale/banks end. If they take the same code and try to transmit it at say Wendy’s, it won’t work, as it has already been used. If someone swipes your card with a magnetic strip, or reads the numbers off manually and enters them online/in person/or over the phone the information will stay the same and can be used at elsewhere.
Most of the anti tap worries are unfounded fear. Also the terminals that allow payments for two to pay also get registered so if someone steals a terminal to modify it, the terminal would be reported stolen by the owner, or if the terminal was purchased by the theif, it would have to be registered by them, and once again can get an investigation pointed in their direction fairly quickly. Is it possible to beat, I’m sure, but it’s MUCH easier to just jot down the numbers or skim thee strip
