People who don't go online at all

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

Clearly not any of you as you are all here.

I was at a quilting thing recently and someone admired my quilt and asked to look at the pattern. I said there wasn't a written pattern, I was doing it from a YouTube tutorial (it's one, mine is much nicer as I'm not keen on his colours). And she said "Oh, I don't use social media at all" in the tone of voice of someone saying "I'd never use hard drugs/torture animals/drop a nuclear bomb". I did say that YouTube isn't really social media (I know it sort of is if you're making the videos, but not really if you just watch them and never comment or anything) and that I had it already loaded on my phone if she wanted to have a look. But apparently she had made a moral decision and wouldn't be swayed. I can't see the difference between watching a YouTube tutorial and watching a tv programme but you would think I was trying to hand her a stick with nails in it to beat up her cat.

I'm not sure why I'm mentioning it really, except that she was otherwise lovely and normal but I got the impression that she felt that the internet was inherently a 'bad thing' and she was disapproving of me but was too polite to say so.

My aunt is not online. Doesn't have a tv either!

I am only online at work and don't work every week. I find it a bit frustrating that everything - every form is completed online now. Yes I know I could be online but cannot afford it at the moment.

My parents aren't online at all - I think they just consider it an unnecessary expense. They mostly manage fine - my Mum is part of one social activity that email me when they need to send out an email which I roll my eyes at a bit.

And my Mum usually has a small list of things she would like me to look up online when they visit.

I think I do know why I'm a bit weirded out now that I've thought about it. I've met people who don't really go online because they are confused by technology (usually elderly people), don't have easy access for whatever reason or don't have an interest that draws them to the internet, but I've never met someone who has a moral objection to using it.

Yes I know someone the same.

It’s a personal choice of course but it does frustrate me when they complain that they miss out on being in touch with people. It’s not lack of ability of accessibility, this person just doesn’t want to.

If you choose not to be online it’s your choice but you have to recognise that your world is going to get smaller and poorer as business and leisure is arranged digitally.

Anyway, she wanted me to explain the whole pattern in words but, since the video was right there on my phone in my hand for her to look at and she wasn't intending to make it straight away anyway, I didn't feel like wasting my time on her moral virtue so I condensed it down to about 60 seconds and then pointed her towards someone else who had done it too.

If she’d said I find it difficult to use the internet, or I don’t have access it’s a different matter. I know some people find it difficult to see things on phones.
But yes, it’s the slight disdain for your choices that puts you off helping.

My parents are in their 80s. They have never used a keyboard, let alone been on-line, in their lives. Luckily they live nearby and I take care of the admin / facetiming / on line shopping for them. How older people with no support manage these days I don't know.

I'm not sure I know anyone who isn't online at all.
Even my two grandmas, both in their early 90s, have smart TVs and have Netflix or similar, though neither have Smart phones or social Media. Until he died last summer, my grandad who was 89, had access to FB and WhatsApp and used to share that with my nana.

My parents are only in the 60s - both have internet. social media, etc. PIls are in their early 70s and again, both are online, esp MIL. Its a great way for them to stay up to date with family esp their grandchildren.

Even more annoying is my boss who "doesn't do social media" but has a twitter account and snoops the fuck out of it. Plus Google's the shit out of new staff but claims not to. And if we organise a speaker for a conference or similar she watches all their YouTube's etc. She has no life outside of work tho and is generally quite odd.

It's perfectly understandable for people to have 'aged out' of some things like using the internet. I'm sure that if I make it to 80 there will be some common technology that will be just too time consuming and arduous for me to learn when I won't live long enough to get the benefit of it. This woman was about my age though (early 50s, possibly a very well-preserved 60) so she has decades of life left, during which lots of things will probably get more digital and less physical.

Both my PIL’s in their 80’s use tech, whatsapping, fb, photos, and planning and booking their foreign holidays. Watching my MIL learning about emojis from my Dd was lovely.