Oppenhagen Column: Dragged kicking and screaming into the technological era

When it comes to comparisons with some of my friends, I find that I am definitely a Luddite.  Luddites were people during the Industrial Revolution who would sabotage the new machinery that was taking
the place of human workers. 

Nowadays, Luddites are those who shun technology. I have a cell phone, but it is off or uncharged most of the time (much to the chagrin of many of my friends).  That’s when I even know where it is. I
don’t even know the phone number, even after having had it for six-plus years. My cell phone doesn’t have picture taking capability or any of the fancy new features. I don’t have GPS in my car and I don’t
have the ear piece that so many people walk around with, or a pager. I am much more comfortable looking through a paper dictionary or thesaurus than on the computer and I long for the return of the card
catalog. I recently declined an opportunity for a Kindle because I like my books on paper.

I do have a computer. I use it a lot. I find that I have gotten lazy about writing out my columns by hand. I like to make forms and I admit that I do like the ease of being able to look up information at any
time during the night or day.  And one other thing that I do like about having my computer is being on Facebook.

I was not always a fan of Facebook. I am a latecomer, in fact. I have only had a Facebook account for about eight months. I was convinced to join by a friend at work and soon had a whopping six friends.
That was humbling. Then family members started popping up. That may not seem like a big deal (even scary to some), but my mom is one of 11 children and they all have children and some of them have
children. I have relatives on my friends list who I haven’t even met in person yet. 

My niece and nephew are on Facebook.  We have kept in touch through Christmas cards and occasional letters but I didn’t really feel I knew them. But now on Facebook, it’s like I’m close to them. 

We communicate about everything. My grandnephew fell the other day; my nephew burned his foot with fireworks; my niece gets frustrated in her job as a guidance counselor at a high school; my
nephew is taking up golf. All these are things you don’t share in once-a-year letters.

Being on Facebook allows me to keep up with my teacher friends during the summer. We would like to get together but are geographically scattered with family commitments. I’ve been able to get back
in touch with several high school buddies. I keep up with family who are in Spain, England and Russia. My world has become smaller and more populated. 

As a Luddite, I would prefer that people write letters. I also prefer that method of communication as a budding genealogist. When you read family letters from the past, you read letters that are full of the
little details of daily life. I love to get Christmas cards, seeing the handwriting of this aunt or that uncle, and get updated on the year. But as my aunts and uncles get older, and their children get older and
have families of their own, the letters get more general, I learn less and less about the family and I feel more disconnected from my roots.

I admit that I have to be dragged into the technological era, kicking and screaming. Once I get there, I generally tightly embrace the newly found. 

This is definitely the case with Facebook. As much as I would like to communicate via handwritten notes, I know that I am not the best practitioner of that habit. I feel that if I write a letter, it should be
fairly long and detailed; I feel guilty just writing a few lines, and so I put off writing until there is something big to write about. 

And, honestly, my life is pretty boring. But with Facebook, I can write about the boring. Just a simple status update like, “I’ve had a rotten day,” generates responses of concern or support from friends
and family and makes me feel connected. 

Granted, there’s no paper left behind for future generations to dissect but most of us don’t need to worry about that. It’s keeping in touch with family and friends in the present that is really important.

And for this Luddite, Facebook is the answer. 

At least I know I will never Twitter — right?

Denise Oppenhagen is a longtime resident of Prince William County and can be reached at .