# So who's a luddite? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2004, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247 "2004-11-23T07:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/41 "2004-11-24T04:28:06Z")
I’m 54 years old and do not have a cell phone. I don’t feel the need to be tied to a communication device every where I go. I think I’ll probably be the last person to get a cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Zcrysis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zcrysis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zcrysis)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/42 "2004-11-24T11:32:24Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > When were you last here? They certainly don’t take them now. Hard pressed to think of a retail outlet that would. I last remember my mum using them about 18 months or so ago. I kind of assumed nothing had changed. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/43 "2004-11-24T11:57:32Z")
I’m afraid I’m an anti-luddite. My [Swiss Army Knife](http://www.victorinox.com/newsite/en/produkte/neu/inhalt2.cfm?pid=0.6026.T) has 128Mb of memory 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/44 "2004-11-24T14:22:33Z")
I have a cell phone because my mom bought me one, but it’s rarely on. The other day, it apparently turned itself on in my purse and called my workplace! My manager said he could hear us in the background. Now, fortunately I was listening to an audiobook with the kids, but what if I had been singing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” at the top of my lungs, as I sometimes do? _shudder_ I also don’t have a CD player or cable TV. I don’t have a computer. I write checks in the supermarket. I write checks and mail them when I pay bills. I have only the vaguest idea of what a PDA or MP3 is. I’ve often dreamed of moving to Pennsylvania and taking up with the Amish, but for that whole religion thing. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/45 "2004-11-24T17:56:38Z")
I’ve never owned a cell phone, and that’s pretty unusual given my job – I’m a telecomms engineer, and until about a year ago was working on wireless systems. My reasons: I’m a tightwad, and can’t justify the expense for something I don’t truly need (I cancelled cable this year for similar reasons). I also decry the pathetic quality of much cell service. Interesting how many of these new technologies like CDMA could have been used to improve service, but were used to increase capacity. (I hear there are exceptions, but I haven’t bothered to educate myself because I’m not in the market). Luddism is not without its costs though… I was at a meeting once and had to call my office, so I asked where there was a phone. A colleague turned and said, “Here, use my cell”. I broke into a cold sweat when I realized I _didn’t freaking know what buttons to push!_ Fortunately, I managed to figure it out (I guess all that education was worth something) without anyone learning the awful truth about me. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/46 "2004-11-24T23:19:36Z")
> [@Mona Lott](#): > > I think I’ll probably be the last person to get a cell phone. Not as long as I’m around you won’t be. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/47 "2004-11-24T23:52:23Z")
> [@Mona Lott](#): > > I think I’ll probably be the last person to get a cell phone. Heh. According to my teenage daughter, _she’s_ the only person in the world without a cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/48 "2004-11-26T16:51:22Z")
I have no cell phone, no home computer, no autonavigation in my car, no cable tv, ah blissss. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/49 "2004-11-26T16:56:05Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > , no autonavigation in my car I just remebered that my bicycle has GPS, ah blissss… me-\> :wally \<-me ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/50 "2004-11-26T18:44:17Z")
I don’t. I hope I never have to. I’m sure they can be very useful, but I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed them being used for anything useful. The thousands of cell phone conversations I hear every day tend to sound like: “Hi” “Oh, yeah?” “Naw, I’m just at the store. What’re you doing?” “Really? Yeah, but I was like, just get over it” “Did he?” “Yeah, I’ve be at your place soon. Maybe ten minutes.” I spend enough time chatting and wasting time without having a cell phone. I also don’t like the idea of being available all the time. I know you _can_ turn them off, but if I had one I’d leave it on all the time, just in case someone needed me. It’s easier not having one. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247/51 "2004-11-27T15:23:55Z")
Never had one, but if my land line provider keeps trying to charge me like a cell phone company, I may just have to switch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whos-a-luddite/276247.md?page=2)