Week 9/10- Describe the daily frustrations of a fictional neo-luddite at university now in the uk.

In order for me to describe the daily frustrations of a neo-luddite at univeristy today I mus first consider what a neo-luddite is. Luddite is a historical term relating to a political movement, and a neo-luddite is a term used to describe people or organisations that resist technological advances. Neo-luddites claim that the increase in technology will result in; a totalitarian state, dehumanization, loss of privacy etc.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Luddism)
In a book written by Gordon Graham, titled 'The Internet', Graham presents some of the reasons why neo-luddites are opposed to Technology. "a new and anarchial form of radical social isolation has come into view as individuals live more and more in their own self-chosen (and fantastical) worlds of virtual reality"(Graham, 1999:7)

A neo-luddites day may go something like this:

Woke up for my 9am lecture, and got to the lecture to find it had been cancelled. An email had been sent roung but as I do not have a computer/laptop I could not access it. Later on I went to a seminar where we were dicussing a reading we were suppose to have printed out, I do not have a printer or use the computer so I could not discuss with the rest of the class which left me feeling a little lost and I didn't understand what we were reading. I realised that I needed help with one of my essays I went to my tutors office to arrange a meeting, but he was not there, I tried several times, someone told me I could email her, however I can't as I don't use email. I wanted to hand my essay in, however they don't accept hand written essays it must be word processed. My university friends all were going out after the lecture, I didn't know about it, they said it had been sorted through faecbook and texting but I don't use these or understand them. This left me feeling left out.

In an average day at university, interaction with technology happens almost every lecture or seminar or even study time. A neo-luddite who opposes technology would not be able to go to a lecture without experiencing a powerpoint on a projector. If for example a pupil needed to get in contact with a Lecturer of the University, he/she would need to email them as it would be difficult to get in touch without this. There is also the example of individual study, if a pupil wanted to access the library catalogue this is all done via computers. Most learning materials are accessed through the universities portal or some form of online page. Some pratical seminars that take place use the facility of computers. Neo-luddites would find life at university of a daily basis hard as almost every part of it uses some form of interction with technology. Even if we think of groupwork, a student must be able to get in contact with a group member via mobile phone, email, facebook etc. All of this problems would interupt in a neo-luddites learning process as they would not want to use them. If we think about Prenksys idea of all those who were born in the digital age are digital natives or if not there are digital immigrants, then a neo-luddite would not technically fit in with this presumption. The opposite of which to a neo-luddite, is a technophile which will feature in my next answer.

Does anyone know of any neo-luddites in your friend groups, or family? I was unaware that people oppose the advances in technology so strongly!