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Good Thing It Wasn’t an Eight-Track — Jon Gabriel
If you weren’t feeling old already, watch these kids trying to figure out a Walkman:
As an ’80s kid, I was very proud of my shiny red Aiwa portable cassette player, complete with auto-reverse and three-bar equalizer. I cut quite the figure with it hanging off my Bugle Boy jeans as I perused Member’s Only jackets at Chess King.
This video reminded me of my kids astonishment a few years back. After using a hotel’s restroom, my seven-year-old couldn’t find any soap. “It’s right there,” I said, pointing to a bar next to the sink. She held it up, shook it and said, “how do you get the soap out?”
Have any kids made you feel old lately? Spread the misery in the comments.
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This is delightful. And I’m actually impressed with the sense of perspective some of these kids have. A ray of hope.
Still have my Walkman. Don’t use it, but have it. I tried to upload a picture, but the upload process isn’t fully functioning, apparently.
Show anyone under 25 a working rotary telephone and ask them to call someone with it.
Seawriter
I don’t even know how those things worked.
Maybe the problem was that you were trying to upload a picture with your Walkman.
I’m pretty sure Walkmen don’t have that feature.
C’mon. Headphones flummoxed them? I find that hard to believe.
Possibly. I have to fiddle with the headphone jack just to get a cell signal.
C’mon, really blow their tiny minds: hand ’em a 12-inch laser disc.
How about multiple speed record player & an album of 78s?
I won’t be too long before kids will be young enough never to have seen a CRT TV or monitor. Or a radio with an analog tuner.
I bet even a Discman would be ancient and mysterious to these kids.
I did have 45s and 33s, but other than that, you’re speaking of my childhood there. The record players used to have four speeds. I’m not even sure most have that fourth speed anymore, even if you can find a turntable.
Then show ’em one of those tricky 45 plastic inserts. And yes you can find turntables. They have become quite high art pieces of technology.
Yes, I know. They even have USB turntables these days, to make it easier to digitize. Most are either two or three speed, though. How are we to make Connie Francis sound like Paul Robeson without that 16 RPM speed setting?
My nephews once came running out of the bedroom we had stuffed them in because the movie they were watching was “over”. What? Finished after only 10 minutes?
They were watching live TV for the first time (having grown up with DVRs and On Demand streaming services). We had to explain the concept of commercials.
My youngest sister is old enough to have a Ph D and a thriving career, yet she’s young enough to not remember DOS.
I might explain to her that DOS is what plagues the spaceship computers in the movie Alien. But she has never seen Alien.
That’s okay. Judging by the current rate of regulatory expansion, DOS will again become the standard and Ridley Scott will be forgiven Prometheus for his prescience.
I’m sure there’s an app.
During my childhood we found the 78s from our parents’ youth & played them on the record player at 45 or 33 for more giggles.
3rd angle, those inserts were difficult to use.
I need help. My VCR is still flashing “12:00 A.M.”
Recall having been on the sidelines of a new employee orientation tour in 2006.
In the mail room one twenty something spotted a typewritter, she burst out ” I have heard about those ! How do they work ?”.
Riddle me this – How many recent college grads could complete a paper or flawless resume on such a device today without spellcheck or white out visible on the finished product ?
Willing to take a few bets here –
Put a piece of electrical tape over the clock.
People seem to think reliance on computers is a new thing. It really isn’t, anymore.
I’ve used computers for all my word processing needs since I was in grade 5, starting with my beloved Commodore 64 way back in the 1980s.
I wouldn’t be able to use a typewriter to save my life, and I’m certainly no “recent college grad”.
There is probably one somewhere. I wouldn’t lay money on it, though. And if you restrict it to the United States, the chances decline.
Now I’m really feeling old. Time to get my 1927 Underwood down from the shelf in the closet and commune with it for awhile.
From USA Today :
“LOS ANGELES — When Johnny Depp packs his belongings and heads to shoot a movie for a few months, he makes sure he brings two things: his guitar and a portable typewriter.
The guitar is for killing time. The typewriter is for communication that matters.
“I love everything about writing the old-fashioned way,” says Depp. “I like how long it takes. I like the care you have to take. If I had wax, I’d seal the letter with that. I’m old school.” ”
(I guess 50 is so old that pen on paper writing is beyond old fashioned. )
Yucky old stuff? Pshaw! Fiddlesticks!
I have sealing wax and a seal. Should I mention that? Or is it too revealing?
What, I’m supposed to feel bad cuz I’m not like Johnny feakin’ Depp?! I don’t think so.
;-)
He should try using a Commodore 64…
One more reason I am glad I live in the 21st century rather than the 20th. In the 70s I ran a wargaming fanzine. Typewriter copy, blue pencil markup, and x-acto knife-rubber cement layout. Memories, memories. Thank God.
I was thrilled with the arrival of “Erasable Bond,” because I could rarely survive a page without Wite-Out®
(although, if I remember correctly, you could use a thinner coat of Liquid Paper)