Friday, October 11, 2019

A Manual-Type of Guy


I’ve been trying to come up with a new term that describes my penchant for manual-type devices. Maybe you can help. I’m not a luddite. In fact, I like technology. But I have a definite preference for technology that enables human and machine to work together, i.e. where the human has an element of control and independence in relation to the machine. I’ll give you some examples of what I mean.

I drive a manual transmission car, and really enjoy shifting my 6-speed and controlling exactly when and how my car moves through the gears. I also get improved performance as well as great mileage out of it as a result - 40mpg easy.

I also like “automatic” watches that self-wind (which is a bit of a misnomer), but also have no battery or crystal to power them. They are independent of any external power source and can function forever if properly maintained.

In addition, I recently inherited my grandfather’s manual typewriter. It works great and isn’t networked like a computer (obviously), so I can type on it with no need for electricity or internet. I control exactly how it works and it will continue to function flawlessly so long as I maintain it.

So I guess I’m trying to come up with a term that accurately describes this preference I have. Retro? Hands on? Self-reliant?

What do you think?