Who knew? I am a reformed Luddite. No, it is not some rare sect of Post-Reformation religion, but a Luddite is someone who feigns and even shuns technology. I, however, have seen the light. I am reformed, and proud of it!
The Luddites were protesters during the Industrial Revolution who smashed their textile machines in protest to the change, and in particular to loosing their jobs to the new technology. This is not to be confused with the 70 Million people, or approximately 25% of the US population who do not use computers at all. According to the Pew Center on the Internet and American Life, the bulk of these people are aging boomers and seniors who find technology intimidating, rural Americans who do not own computers, and low-income Americans who find them too expensive. The real “New Luddites” are just those who simply choose to not use the technology even though it is available. According to the Pew study, the new Luddites shun and even rebel against their computers and blackberrys.
While slow to start, I have hastened my move from my Luddite thinking to fully embrace the vast array of tech offerings that we have today. According to Microtrends, I am not alone. There was a time that the “quiet, smart girl” would love her technology and be a happy introvert. It seems that those who embrace technology have now made the move from introvert to extrovert. Computers and technology are not just the diet of the classic science and research geek, but now are the mainstay of the socially organized. It is the staple of the party organizer, and can drive the family social life center. It may have you happily purring about Linked In, Facebook, Blogs and all the great mysteries of the internet.
Recall for a moment the Myers-Briggs personality test questions. These questions center on a person’s habits, attitudes and preferences, and can be applied to just about everything including technology. The Myers-Briggs quadrants are divided into 4 primary categories of Drivers, Expressives, Analyticals, and Amiables. In general, Drivers and Expressives tend to be extrovert personalities that do a lot of telling and do so in direct, and colorful ways. Analyticals and Amiables are the introverts that do a lot more asking of questions, and tend to be more subdued. Interestingly, when these queries are made with respect to preferences in technology, nearly 60% of the most enthusiastic tech users are extroverts. In the Mictotrend research, those who tend to shy away from computers tend to be the ones who shy away from a social life. It seems that the technology that was once the refuge for the socially inept, is now the haven for the socially ambitious. The quiet techie geek, who had no friend prior to Facebook, now has an impossible number of Friends with which to keep up. The average thirteen year old can have hundreds of “friends” on Facebook.
Another point of interest is the larger number of women compared to men who are deep into the high tech binge. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, girls are more likely than boys to use mobile phones and digital cameras. Think about this if you walk into Best Buy any time soon. Historically not a store focused on women, Best Buy is shifting some of the focus to personalized shopping, softer lights and music to enhance appeal to women shoppers. Think for a moment about the thirteen year old next door with the cute bling-bling on her cell phone case. Are there any ladies reading this who will admit to changing your computer briefcase color as well as your purse color to compliment the changing seasons? It seems that women want technology that will accentuate, not take over. And look at all of the choices! My recent mailing from Franklin Covey made my head spin with the selection of binder covers, and brief case styles. AAAHHHH!! Spring!!!
You still may not know “what women want,” but if it rings, beeps or clicks, it had better be cute!
And remember, take care of your customers, or someone else will.
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