Week 9: Question D

"Describe the daily frustrations of a fictional neo-luddite at Uni now in the UK."

Gilbert spent the majority of his morning trying to find where he was going for his morning lecture. He had been told he could find his time table on a Blackboard but he couldn't find it and thus spent the morning looking through the copious amounts of paper he received from the University.

He luckily saw someone on his course, and he explained his tales of being unable to find his timetable. Much to his coursemates amusement, he was informed that it wasn't an actual blackboard it was the Blackboard site on the university's website. Gilbert was greatly embarassed by his lack of technical knowledge, but he didn't particularily want to start using a computer. His course friend gave him a helping hand and showed how to print it off, mentioning about the "PIN" number needed to use the printer. After help from the librarians he got a copy of his timetable and he headed to his day ahead of him full of lectures and seminars.

While he was in his lectures, he noticed a few people had laptops and thought he "Is there any need?" He looked at his pen and paper and admired the beautiful craftsmanship and ingenuity of his leather bound notebook and premium fountain pen. After the lecture he was encouraged by his lecturer to speak to his group mates and establish some communication methods, as a cause of concern.

He was asked by one spirited group member "What's you name on facebook?" Gilbert was greatly confused and had to ask what facebook was. After being told the ins and outs of it, he still considered the idea gingerly due to his reluctance to use a computer. Although he could see the usefulness of such a website and knew he had to get some kind of modern communication technology.

Finally his group mates asked for his mobile number so they could get in touch about group meetings. He had to tell them he didn't have a phone either and noted the reactions of shock and disbelief from his fellow peers.

After this lecture he headed into town and went into the bank with his money book to buy some food from the shops. Gilbert didn't know how to use a "Chip and PIN" card, or a cashpoint for that matter although he had his signature on the back of a small plastic card (which he practiced proudly beforehand) given to him by the bank. They gave him information about online banking which Gilbert confusedly read through, not taking much in.

With his groceries he headed home, but unfortunately earlier that morning he had dropped his electronic key fob into his daily infusion of tea. Thinking nothing of dropping this unobtrusive black object into his tea, he didn't realise the connection to the technical failure when trying to gain entry to his accommodation.

It began to rain and he didn't have a phone so he couldn't contact his flatmates to let him in. Neither could he work out how to operate the electronic buzzer system to buzz his flat - not that he wanted to figure out how to use it. He thought to himself "Give me a proper door any day!". Whilst waiting he was approached by a group of youths who asked him "Give us your phone you c***"

He politely told them he didn't have a phone. However being the pacifist he is, he didn't retaliate when the group of youths set about him whilst going through his pockets. He finally got inside and had a cup of tea and wondered why technology was working against him. For the rest of the evening he felt as if he should be embracing this technology as pushing it away was making it harder. He pondered the fact that before Uni he hadn't had these sorts of trouble and wondered whether "Is this what Uni is all about?" Finally, before drifting off to sleep his mind wandered back to the few months before Uni when applying to University. With help from teachers who were always thinking and asking "Are you going to be more in touch with technology from now on, Gilbert?"