Hey, fellow digital immigrants! Sometimes when tech goes wrong, it’s not you – it’s just your misconceptions about technology….and about yourself! 

I was on a Zoom call with my Senior Planet colleagues recently and discovered an issue with my camera – I could see them but they couldn’t see me. My instinct was to think I did something wrong.*

They patiently guided me through one fix after another and nothing worked  They all quickly concluded that they were stumped.

A Digital Immigrant’s Self Talk

As a digital immigrant (as many older people are) I often manifest silly ideas that interfere with my ability to maneuver in the digital world:

-that my electronics are supposed to be perpetual motion machines that work perfectly all the time…and if they don’t, it’s a catastrophe.

-that if something goes wrong with my computer, my connectivity or my phone it’s because of something I did – or didn’t – do.

-that if something goes wrong and I can’t fix it right away it’s because I’m dumb.

-that if I try to fix it I”ll break something or do something I won’t be able to undo, OR

-that fixing it means going down the rabbit hole for hours so I should either live with it or try a half assed workaround.

BUT WAIT!

It wasn’t until that Zoom call that I realized how often digital immigrants like us think its our fault that tech doesn’t work or is difficult. And that younger folks who grew up in a digital world have all the answers.

Wrong! Sometimes younger folks have the answers. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes nobody has the answers! Once I let go of the self-blame and fear, handling the inevitable tech glitches got a lot easier.

So I finally got my “It’s Not Me” moment. I might have a bit more confidence with tech – and may still get in trouble – but at least I know it’s not always me. (BTW, turns out my camera wasn’t working because the cover got pushed back over the lens accidentally).

YOUR TURN

How about you? Did you have an “It’s not me!” moment with tech? How did it change your attitude or confidence?  Share your experience in the comments!

Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send your suggestions for Open Threads to her at editor@seniorplanet.org.