Minnie Simpson Hates the Internet

[FrgMstr]

This article over at The Hustle is chock full of all kinds of statistics that will likely surprise no one, when it comes to who uses the internet and who does not. However among all the data, the animated gif of Minnie at the title of the article is pretty darn funny. That's right, Minnie don't give a damn about your selfie stick.


“Everyone’s on phones,” she bemoans. “The kids get out of the cars without looking up, no goodbyes. Their eyes are just glued on the phones, watching internet videos — and the parents don’t notice because they’re online too. They’re all plugged in…” It’s a world Simpson doesn’t understand, and never will: she’s among America’s fading genus of internet non-users.

 

[Hatriot]

There is nothing to "understand"...Minnie is 100% correct and there is growing body of evidence to prove it. The technological advances for the most part have done nothing but cater to our worse habits of narcissism and instant gratification.

 

[DNMock]

There is nothing to "understand"...Minnie is 100% correct and there is growing body of evidence to prove it. The technological advances for the most part have done nothing but cater to our worse habits of narcissism and instant gratification.

The irony of this statement being made on a PC Enthusiast Website must be pointed out...

Not saying you are wrong, I just find it funny.

Edit: Now I'm gonna give you a "like" to feed that narcissistic ego of yours with instant gratification

 

[TheHig]

The always connected lifestyle is the greatest form of control since organized religion. Total carrot on a stick situation.

Now please excuse me I need to go buy something.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I rememeber back in 2003. I was working my first job out of college as an engineer with an aerospace manufacturing firm.

We were in the process of adding our first electronic manufacturing system to the floor. Prior to this operators had all used paper procedures and documented their records on paper production records.

Now they were going to get barcode scanners that pulled up the correct step on a screen with the proper procedure for them to follow. All of this was designed I reduce production errors and increase efficiencies.

I was in complete disbelief by the response we got from the production operators. They were in a complete panic. Most of them had never used a computer before and wanted none of it. We nearly had a union revolt on our hands.

Up until that point I just assumed that most people younger than 80 or so had been like me, casually using computers since the 80's and experimenting with the internet since the early 90's. My mind was completely blown that these people who had never used a computer actually existed.

I guess there are fewer of them left now, and now they seem to match the expectation of being old people more than they did at work in 2003.

 

[MickeyBailey]

My parents only got smartphones a couple of years ago. When I have dinner with them, they read news stories off of their phones. FML.

 

[Woody1150]

Some days I want to be like these people and not have the internet at all. It's kind of sad when you see families out in public, like a restaurant, and none of them are even paying attention to one another. Faces just staring at a phone.

Other days I really like shooting people in the head online or communicating in forums like this. Not to mention the internet allows me to not have to drive into an office everyday.

 

[singe_101]

Does Mark have a bank account and he relies on printed statements and tracking every bill he pays offline? He enjoys farming... and he never has used the internet to check the weather in Pennsylvania? He runs the farm offline? Amazing.

 

[Dan_D]

The internet is an amazing thing. We practically have the sum total of all human knowledge available at any moment. However, like all things it must be used in moderation. Many of my friends can't even watch a TV show or movie without looking at their phones the entire time. They look up occasionally, but remain primarily fixated on their phones. It drives me up the wall. I give them tons of shit for it because they can't possibly pay that much attention to what we are watching while doing that. They are all older than me and are sometimes just as bad as today's youth. I'm all for technology, but I'm not attached to my phone.

I use the internet a lot, but I understand where this woman is coming from.

 

[jardows]

Many of my friends can't even watch a TV show or movie without looking at their phones the entire time. They look up occasionally, but remain primarily fixated on their phones. It drives me up the wall. I give them tons of shit for it because they can't possibly pay that much attention to what we are watching while doing that. They are all older than me and are sometimes just as bad as today's youth. I'm all for technology, but I'm not attached to my phone.

I use the internet a lot, but I understand where this woman is coming from.

This. My wife does this, and it drives me crazy. She claims she can pay attention to the show and be on facebook at the same time, but I have my doubts. Why can't you just unplug sometimes?

 

[Rahh]

It definitely has started to be pretty bad with the younger folks I've witnessed. I (like everyone here) love the benefits of the internet but there has to be a line. If the parents of these kids don't know where that line is then that's a big problem too. It's hard to fathom that sooooooooo many parents are clueless and don't teach kids ho to be social or live without a smartphone but it sure does seem that way. The happier kids and adults are the ones that know when to put that shit down or step away from the internet to enjoy life.

 

[Rahh]

This. My wife does this, and it drives me crazy. She claims she can pay attention to the show and be on facebook at the same time, but I have my doubts. Why can't you just unplug sometimes?

This has to be more of she doesn't really care what's on the television. My wife does this also but it's 100% because I know she really doesn't care what's on the screen. If it's one of her shows then she doesn't do this...

 

[jardows]

This has to be more of she doesn't really care what's on the television. My wife does this also but it's 100% because I know she really doesn't care what's on the screen. If it's one of her shows then she doesn't do this...

No, she does it even during new episodes of NCIS, her favorite show!

 

[Dan_D]

No, she does it even during new episodes of NCIS, her favorite show!

My girlfriend does this with her favorite shows although she only checks it, responds to texts, etc. and then puts it back down. She's still on it a significant amount of time but not like my friends who do it through the duration of whatever we are watching.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

It definitely has started to be pretty bad with the younger folks I've witnessed. I (like everyone here) love the benefits of the internet but there has to be a line. If the parents of these kids don't know where that line is then that's a big problem too. It's hard to fathom that sooooooooo many parents are clueless and don't teach kids ho to be social or live without a smartphone but it sure does seem that way. The happier kids and adults are the ones that know when to put that shit down or step away from the internet to enjoy life.

I've had some epic battles with my 10 year old stepson over when it is, and when it is not appropriate to be on the iPad.

He doesn't even want to take a 5 minute car ride without it (it's not even an LTE model). I don't get the car thing, but I guess it is mostly harmless, as long as he doesn't get motion sickness. Where I draw the line is when he wants to use it in the restaurant we are going to. We don't go out to dinner to ignore each other. We should be socializing.

That's not to say it is never appropriate to use a mobile device when socializing. There are ways in which mobile devices can enhance the social interaction, like adding information to a conversation. "Did you know we are getting a big storm on Tuesday?", or "Interesting what you say about sharks, it says here that the great white has been spotted a lot in cape cod lately".

He just wants to bury his head in some mobile game and ignore everyone, which I am not cool with. Maybe some day he will understand.

 

[travisty]

He just wants to bury his head in some mobile game and ignore everyone, which I am not cool with. Maybe some day he will understand.

TBH with technological advances it very well could be the case that more and more people become completely immersed into virtual worlds. Examples: Ready Player One (bad book and movie, but good premise) or Sword Art Online (novel andl/or first 13 episodes of the anime are great) (nix the death IRL part) are good examples

 

[Ididar]

While these people may not directly use the internet, they end up using the internet in many indirect ways. Their bank is online and everything they do at the branch is transferred over the internet from the branch office to head office. "Using the internet" is not limited to sitting down at a computer with a web browser. Unless they pay with cash for everything (which might not be a shock with some older folks) they "use the internet" every time they swipe a credit card or bank card. The people that don't "use the internet" would probably be shocked at how much of their life is actually online even though they aren't "using the internet".

 

[Jagger100]

People said the same shit about TV. It was decadent to have more than one TV in your house, let alone one in your bedroom. Not saying there's not a problem. TV is a problem. Does anybody still question it?

 

[BloodyIron]

One of the problems I'm seeing is many parents aren't teaching nettiquette. So many parents barely understand anything about technology, they unfortunately aren't relevant to teaching their children how to be responsible citizens while using their technology.

Like, how to identify when it's rude to use your phone. Or how to be safe when out and about with your phone.

It's an education at home problem, primarily.

 

[Dekoth-E-]

I don't agree with her 100% as I believe there is a middle ground. Yes those who are glued to it 100% of the time to the detriment of everything around them have a problem. Further there is no reason to shun technology either unless you want to be Amish or Mennonite. However there are those of us who are quite plugged into the internet but make our kids put the phones away when out in public, or traveling to scenic locations or having a family game. It is a little thing called balance.

Actually a semi related interesting note. My daughter just got her phone taken from her yesterday by me because she broke a rule. She keeps taking her phone out of its protective case, which is a habit i will absolutely damn well break. She currently cannot find said protective case and will not be getting her phone back until she does. Sorry but I'm not buying another phone because she broke it from randomly dropping it and "But dad I never drop it" isn't an acceptable counter point. She is also 12 and has decided she is smarter than everyone else..I swear I'm going to have to delete her and make another copy.

 

[nightfly]

This. My wife does this, and it drives me crazy. She claims she can pay attention to the show and be on facebook at the same time

Women ARE able to hold down several activities at once, usually better than men can. Due to evolution, as they had to monitor the children as well as do other mundane tasks at the same time. Guys just had to hunt the dinner object, so we're better at doing any ONE thing at a time and ignore everything else (or WE'D become dinner for some other predator).

It definitely has started to be pretty bad with the younger folks I've witnessed. I (like everyone here) love the benefits of the internet but there has to be a line. If the parents of these kids don't know where that line is then that's a big problem too. It's hard to fathom that sooooooooo many parents are clueless and don't teach kids ho to be social or live without a smartphone but it sure does seem that way. The happier kids and adults are the ones that know when to put that shit down or step away from the internet to enjoy life.

The kids ARE enjoying life; they're enjoying what THEY like to do. Why are parents clueless? Because parents have always been clueless about what interests their kids and what doesn't. Kids don't like reporting everything they do to their parents; how many remember the painful every night at dinner interrogation by our parents starting with, 'How was your day? What did you learn at school today?' And then have to give said parents a detailed account of all the stuff we weren't interested in learning in the first place, when all we wanted to do was eat dinner and GTF out of there. Parents want to be their children's best friends. Some live vicariously through their kids, but the kids don't want any of that. And the few parents that DO remember what it was like when they, themselves were the kid, declare, 'oh, it's different now; I'm a great parent, not like MY parents.'

I've had some epic battles with my 10 year old stepson over when it is, and when it is not appropriate to be on the iPad.

Most parents feel that any time that they want to talk to their kid, it's inappropriate for that kid to want to be doing anything else. They expect their child to be eager and happy to talk to them, because they think that they are wonderful to talk to. They don't remember what it's like being a kid.

He doesn't even want to take a 5 minute car ride without it (it's not even an LTE model).

I remember the same behavior 30 years ago when the gameboy was introduced. Today, parents who had said gameboy and behaved like their kids with the phones, seem to think, 'oh, now it's different, now I'M the parent who's being ignored'.

Some things never change.

We don't go out to dinner to ignore each other. We should be socializing.

Maybe your kid doesn't want to socialize with you? Just because you want to talk to them and want them to talk to you, doesn't mean that they want the same things. Not everyone wants as much 'family time' as the others; and the older the kids get, the less they want of it.

He just wants to bury his head in some mobile game and ignore everyone, which I am not cool with. Maybe some day he will understand.

He'll understand when he's a parent and has kids that don't just love talking to daddy, either.

While these people may not directly use the internet, they end up using the internet in many indirect ways. Their bank is online and everything they do at the branch is transferred over the internet from the branch office to head office. "Using the internet" is not limited to sitting down at a computer with a web browser. Unless they pay with cash for everything (which might not be a shock with some older folks) they "use the internet" every time they swipe a credit card or bank card. The people that don't "use the internet" would probably be shocked at how much of their life is actually online even though they aren't "using the internet".

They don't see that as 'using the internet'. To them, it's no more like using the internet than it was, handing over a credit card to a merchant and watching them make carbon copies with the 'press the handle' machine that embossed the card's number and customer's name onto a multiple copy receipt.

I don't agree with her 100% as I believe there is a middle ground. Yes those who are glued to it 100% of the time to the detriment of everything around them have a problem.

They're not glued to it 100% of the time, it just seems that way because they're glued to it when YOU want to be the focus of their attention, and they're interested in something else. While there are times when it's absolutely important that the child pay attention to you, as we all know, from a child's point of view much of the time they only listen because they have no choice, and don't respond because they don't want the interaction go on any longer than necessary, because they want to get back to what they WERE interested in doing. As above, parents want to be the main focus to their children, but unless you make yourself interesting to that child, their interest will be elsewhere. You can force kids to listen to you, but you can't force them to find you interesting and/or fun to be with, and parents seem to always forget what their own childhood experiences were like. I remember well, what it was like being dragged on vacations to places I didn't want to go to, and didn't like when I got there, and being punished because I wasn't enjoying it all. All because of parents that insisted that I love doing what they wanted me to do. And every new generation of parents forgets what it was like to be a kid. Learn by experience. Stop repeating the mistakes of your own parents. This most certainly doesn't apply to everyone, but I'd bet it does for about 95%. And as always, everyone thinks that it's only other parents who are the problem.

 

[katanaD]

My parents only got smartphones a couple of years ago. When I have dinner with them, they read news stories off of their phones. FML.

my mother, after dad past, got a new iphone a couple or so years back now.. when she was visiting me and the wife.. she was like a teenage girl in the back seat texting new possible boyfriends on a dating site



really made me and the wife laugh.. HARD !!




Also, having had a cell phone for so long now, part of the job, I can now quite happily leave my phone behind in my office. I have also had a couple people think i was lying when i said i do that.. with looks like i was a bug or such and complete disbelief ANYONE could leave the phone at home

 

[mope54]

And every new generation of parents forgets what it was like to be a kid.

You seem to be confusing forgetting what it was like to be an irresponsible human being with learning to be responsible for another human being.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

The kids ARE enjoying life; they're enjoying what THEY like to do. Why are parents clueless? Because parents have always been clueless about what interests their kids and what doesn't. Kids don't like reporting everything they do to their parents; how many remember the painful every night at dinner interrogation by our parents starting with, 'How was your day? What did you learn at school today?' And then have to give said parents a detailed account of all the stuff we weren't interested in learning in the first place, when all we wanted to do was eat dinner and GTF out of there. Parents want to be their children's best friends. Some live vicariously through their kids, but the kids don't want any of that. And the few parents that DO remember what it was like when they, themselves were the kid, declare, 'oh, it's different now; I'm a great parent, not like MY parents.'


Most parents feel that any time that they want to talk to their kid, it's inappropriate for that kid to want to be doing anything else. They expect their child to be eager and happy to talk to them, because they think that they are wonderful to talk to. They don't remember what it's like being a kid.

I remember the same behavior 30 years ago when the gameboy was introduced. Today, parents who had said gameboy and behaved like their kids with the phones, seem to think, 'oh, now it's different, now I'M the parent who's being ignored'.

Some things never change.


Maybe your kid doesn't want to socialize with you? Just because you want to talk to them and want them to talk to you, doesn't mean that they want the same things. Not everyone wants as much 'family time' as the others; and the older the kids get, the less they want of it.


He'll understand when he's a parent and has kids that don't just love talking to daddy, either.

You are right. I remember being hopelessly obsessed with my NES in the 1980's and being really annoyed when asked to play outside. I don't remember being quite as addicted as he seems to be, but I do remember the feeling well. I think the games marketed at kids have taken on a whole new level of addictiveness since we were that age.

My parents forced me to do things, and to behave respectfully. I didn't like it at the time, but in retrospect I appreciate that it has made me a better person.

And that is the job of a parent. Not just to love, feed, shelter and protect against immediate dangers, but also to know better, and to use that judgement to force the kids to do what is in their long term interest, even if they don't know it yet. The pre-frontal cortex of the human brain, which is responsible for long term rational decision making is very poorly developed at age 10. Even in the late teens it is pretty bad. It doesn't get fully developed in most adults until age 25 or so, but we call them adults at 18 anyway for some reason.

Forcing him to treat others around him with respect, socialize, do his homework and all the other things he'd rather avoid when he wants to play his games is a large part of my job as an adult in his life, and quite frankly, parents who don't maybe should be talking to social services.

Also, he is a child. What he wants and does not want is completely irrelevant at this point, unless I ask him what his preference is. My job is to know better and enforce the right things, and his job is to obey, or have every last thing he enjoys taken away from him until he is sitting on a chair in an empty room staring at a wall.

I have a zero tolerance for disobedience.

 

[singe_101]

I wonder if the people who don't use the internet would enjoy Spotify. If they got internet set up.