Car Alarms.
I even worked for a company who made them. I just think that all that chirping, honking, and beeping for an extra $200++ is not worth having someone steel the car anyway.

I am not against remote openers/lockers but alarms.

I am not against remote keys because my Prius came with it and now I like it. I wouldn't have gotten it if it was an option though.

I am not against car locating devices they really seem to be a solution to a problem, because sometimes it leads the police to the criminal.

I think that is a clearer logic than the hoarse combine with a diesel motor. Common a couple more houses and you could get rid of the motor. It's the first horse that would be hard for most of us to adopt.

IM
I don't spell well or type fast and kind of depend on spell checkers and the extra time of email to compose.

The Amish arrive at their technological choices via a complex and locally focused set of choices made by the elders of each church. Thus the wide range of choices. Some elders allow the use of certain items and others do not. These choices are based on the elders interpretation of scripture, rather than on any particular quality of the technology itself. They are not making choices besed on sustainability, science, or really any of the information that you folks are using as criteria, they are making choices about technology based on religion. Which is like deciding what to eat based on the eye color of the waiter, or the number of items on the menu. Two unrelated systems, one of which is being used to determine actions in the other.
Having said that, I reject hybrid automobiles, since they are not dealing with the issues that will engulf them at the back end - the recycling of all those batteries among other things.

I reject bluetooth headsets outright. In fact, if I could uninvent one thing, it would be the bluetooth headset.

I also reject terrycloth exercise suits... does that count as technology?

I reject TV remote controls. I think they are a sign of either laziness and a temptation to change channels endlessly.

I refuse to use a GPS on most hikes.

I reject the idea of sex selecting children, unless the reason is to avoid hemophilia or other sex-linked illnesses.

I reject the idea of cloning a dead pet, when thousands of animals at the pound need homes and clones have so many health problems.

I reject the idea of single family swimming pools. Community pools are not only safer for the children, but save HUGE amounts of water.

-Fake gas fireplaces.
-Non-manual building lighting in rooms that fewer than 50 people use in a 24 hour period.
-Electric can openers, toothbrushes, and other devices when the time saved is trivial (unless it is adaptive equipment for somebody with a disability.)
-Christmas lights.
-SUVs
-Digital watches.
-Car Alarms.
-Waterbeds.
-Electric paintings.

This is one household consisting of a wife and husband, 3 cats and a very old canary:

For 7 years my husband and I have had just one car. One car to repair, insure, buy tires for, etc. Usually we go places together so we're always carpooling.

I reject the digital camera for my old SLR 35mm Minolta. It makes better pictures. My husband likes his new digital camera.

I rejected Illustrator and all other graphic design software for paint and pencils on substrates. My husband has many graphic design gigs and works exclusively with computer software.

We almost never watch TV. We watch tons of Netflix.

We read all our news online and both follow a number of blogs.

Between us we have one cell phone. Usually it is turned off. Sometimes we remember to check for messages on it. And it's almost never with the person who need(ed) it the most. So far, none of this has harmed either of us.

I rejected mall shopping about 15 years ago when I ran up more than 10K in department store bills. I cut up the cards, paid off the bills and I never go into a mall. I buy most of my clothing--used and discarded-- at local consignment shops. My husband shops online, always trying to go directly to the manufacturer for his purchases.

We have a five gallon bucket in our shower to capture the water while it's heating up. We use that water on our outdoor potted plants.

We have no lawn, no man-made landscaping, on our desert lot.

We have the smallest single family residence in our neighborhood.

We recycle plain white paper and have done so for 25 years!

One year during the holidays we gave each other presents we had already given each other. That rejection seemed too sad, however.

We use abebooks.com and also shop at our locally owned bookstores.

Thanks for the great questions on this great site.
Mary and Gary

The British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph has been asking readers to say what they are proud never to have done:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=BLOGDETAIL&grid=P30&blog=yourview&xml=/news/2006/11/20/ublview20d.xml

I reject Magnetic tape as a technology. music cassette tapes, video tapes, computer backup tapes. The only type I use is camcorder DV tape, this is because I prefer my raw footage uncompressed. I don't like the non-random access nature of tapes, nor their fragility, wearing out etc.
I would also reject push email but I can't seem to stop it on my work supplied blackberry so I have set the alerts to silent for incoming emails, when I have the time and attention, I will check my email. If you need to get a hold of me in a hurry call or text me. nothing is more annoying than someone blackberrying or being alterted to emails when in a meeting with other people. I do like my blackberry alerting me when I have a meeting coming up. I also like mobile email/internet devices generally.

I guess I'm what George Lakoff would call 'biconceptual' on the technology issue. If that makes me Neo-Amish, so be it. It is the selective rejection of technology that raises the Amish to their current ranking (high)on my esteem scale.

I am a network engineer and desktop publisher and photography lover. Also help run a musical venue and do recording on a laptop. I have owned maybe 6 -7 personal computers over the last 20 years.

I will not use PayPal. The thought of giving a company that much access to my bank account scares the hell out of me.

I do own an iPod and a non-iPod MP3 player.

I avoid websites designed with FrontPage. If I HAVE to use IE to view a page, I avoid the page completely unless I need it for work.

VoIP might be a slick gimmick, but when the last big hurricane hit the east coast several years ago, my old Ma Bell rotary telephone never lost its landline-based dialtone. Say that Vonage!

I eschew logos(and will remove them from things if possible) and have a hard time buying casual shoes. Where do you find ones that don't have advertising on them? If a product is really good, I am more than willing to sing its praises, but how do you know that before you have used it? I would rather choose whether to display the logo.

I don't own a GPS, a paper map is fine for me, though I love things like Google Earth and Google Maps.

I shop with cash whenever possible. I will not sign those digital pads at checkout points. I insist on paper forms.

I do go online to check my banking info and to see if checks have cleared, but otherwise, I write paper checks and mail them with stamps.

I will not reply verbally to a computer-operator on the phone. I will push a button to indicate a selection, but pretending to 'speak' to a computer is totally insane. I insist on a human before I speak.
I carry a cell phone, but will only answer calls when I know the other party and I wish to speak with them. In the car, I will not make or answer a call unless it is something important enough that I would stop and use a payphone.

I make up a new number each visit to the grocery store or use someone else's frequent shopper number.

I have not eaten in a 'corporate' fast-food restaurant in the last 5 & 1/2 years.

Since I started carrying a pager, and then a cell phone (devices with built in clocks), I stopped wearing the 'redundant' wristwatch.

I do not have call-waiting, callerID or call forwarding. If you are talking to me on my phone, I will not interrupt our conversation to initiate a conversation with someone else. If my phone rings, the only determinant of whether I answer is whether I desire to talk to anyone and whether I am awaiting a call. I do have answer-call, which takes messages even if my phone is occupied.

I detest having to buy a car with accessories I do not want because 'it is what we order'. I would be willing to wait for up to 3 months to order the vehicle as I want it. With JIT technologies, this should be a perfect spot for innovation. Why should I go somewhere that has incentives for the salesforce to sell me something I don't want, when the capability to deliver exactly what I want exists? I will not buy a car under any kind of pressure. I will give fair warning, then if the salesperson say's anything like: "If you buy today, I can...", I turn briskly and walk out. (My wife won't go car-shopping with me anymore, BTW)

I do have a AM/FM/CD/tape deck in my car that I listen to, but do not really want or need satellite radio.

I do stream 'radio stations' on my PC. I even donate to those stations to which I listen on a regular basis.

I do watch TV, but mostly for The Daily Show. Otherwise I'm usually watching movies from Netflix. I do not have digital cable, nor any desire for it. Higher-Res shit is still shit. I am still on basic cable, no premium channels.

My favorite toy when I go out to eat is my TV-B-Gone!

So color me Amish!

I like this term neo-Amish. I used to use the term neo-Luddite, but it never really fit, as I love technology, I just choose not to use some. Choosing technology that fits and defines your lifestyle and principles seems more apropos.

My list:

Cell phones - no philosophical reasons, really - just always thought that as few calls as I make, I'm paying something on the order of $50 per call. Think they're great for when you break down and need to call a tow truck or if a member of your family falls off the bridge and they need you to rush to the hospital to sign the surgery consent form (or organ donor release, whichever more appropriately applies). Otherwise, can't think of any real reason to own one.

On the above note, I have been reducing my driving as much as possible, down to about 1300 miles a year, mostly taking trains or walking (and I live in LA). More out of a desire to overcome my personal addiction to gasoline (believe me, I love cars - old classics and fast sports cars especially). Just want to reduce my stressing the planet. Will probably get a sushi-mobile soon to help compensate.

I consider my home as a place for my personal privacy, and that includes not only meat space, but virtual space as well, so don't answer the door for solicitors, don't answer the phone unless you either identify yourself through caller ID or start to leave a message which identifies you as someone I wish to talk to at that time. Most people think that's pretty weird, I don't really know why, though.

TV - threw mine out in 2000 due to an addiction to cathode ray induced stimulus to the audio visual sensory systems and subsequent alpha wave enhancement. Do download select shows from iTunes, which I watch on my monitor and enjoy HBO On Demand on Sunday nights at my Ex's after we put the little one to bed (need to drive my car to this location, as it's out of the way, and train service stops around 1 AM, later than I leave her place, thus the 1300 miles a year).

Don't wear any kind of jewelry - just plain feels weird. Used to wear a ring to help me keep track of which hand is my right hand when I was a kid, but, now the ring is a permanently ghosted sensation, so, there it is. Pretty good since of time, so can always wake up when I need to, be where I need to be without a watch or clock. Clocks are everywhere, so even if I do get time-confused, I can re-adjust pretty easily. No watch included in the bangles free hands, nor alarm at my bedside.

On that note, too, I'm from the generation where only drunken sailors got tattoos, so, no skin coloring here.

Pretty much stay away from things that feed my personal vanity. Not too vane, no hair replacement programs, Lasik eye surgeries, and I "dress like a roadie" to quote my Ex (intended as an insult, but accepted with pride).

I'm sure there are a bunch of other things, but, can't think of them now.

A partial list of stuff I won't use:
Outright rejection: pantyhose, makeup, hair dye, perfume, and yes, cfm heels. (Huge disappointment to my mother.)
Dangerous: tampons, dry cleaning, upholstery, carpet.
The usual: wristwatch, pda, cable, soda, paper AND plastic, the mall, call waiting, battery-operated anything if possible, non-rechargeable batteries, drive-through, disposable, gold, white food, bleached, partially hydrogenated.
Loud/wasteful: dishwasher, vacuum, shaver, dryers of clothes/hair, lawn mower, a/c.
More and more, I'm motivated to choose downwardly mobile, low- and appropriate-tech options because I abhor short-sighted design, aggressive marketing, and the "toss-away" mentality; and aspire not merely to "reduce, reuse, recycle," but to eliminate the concept of waste (Hannover principles). Personally, I aspire to remember how things were done before early-adopting, over-ultraconvenienced, instantly-gratifying, debt-spiraling consumption became so intoxicating.
So while I tilt at windmills, you'll note that I am hooked up to the web teat. I drive a Prius, am still connected to the grid for a while longer, and water-flush "away" my bodily wastes. And I'm itching to try the LED shake flashlight. So I'm not an utter primitive or a far-sighted ecological saint. But I yearn.

I love technology and find that those who have a knee-jerk rejection of a specific one have "issues", and should look whithin themselves instead of blaming TV or watches or cell phones. (it is simply not true that all TV programing is garbage, and if you don't want to be located, (turn off the cell phone. Try finding a coin operated phone when you have a flat tire...)

(It's amusing to me the collection of log-cabin-dweller wannabes you've gathered here, KK :

The only technology I reject is that which asks you to upgrade your product or gadget as a simple commercial strategy. In marketing it is called "planned obsolescence", and the strategy is to want consumers to start hating a perfectly good item or appliance until they cannot resist the craving of something newer or 'sexier'. That is simply a commercial gimmick. also, anything that is "overkill" to make you look like a connoiseur before your peers. I REFUSE to acquire the skill to hear the difference between $400 speakers and $4,000 speakers. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW. That knowledge would cost me $3,600! there are instances in which ignorance is Bliss. I don't want to learn to appreciate $300 bottles of wine either. I don't drink jug wine, but you have to draw a line somewhere. I also don't like to adhere to technology or brands to reward their advertisement, their design or the fashion statement they make. I own MP3 players. Why should I pay 50% more so that my MP3 player is "apple" brand? I'll buy apple if the functionality and bang for the buck makes it worth while. not so that I'm seen with the latest iPod.

I reject personal media devices for me & especially for my kids. That means no Gameboy-type device, no Ipod, no portable dvd-player, etc. No, no NO! I want to actually be where I am, I want my kids to actually be content with being right here, right now. I want them to have good hearing, not messed up by earphones. I want them to listen to me when I'm talking, and not off in some other zone. I want them to interact with me and with others.

- call waiting
- VOIP phone service
- TV
1986 through 1998, did not own television
1998 bought tv to watch Olympics
1998 through 2002, via antenna
2002 got basic cable to watch more Olympics
2006 bought bigger tv to watch Olympics
2006 cancelled cable after 2006 Winter Games
- commercials ads of any kind (print, video via tv/internet, audio)
- open kiosk banks
- wifi
- SUVs
- Information gathered by credit, bank, etc. will not give out
- mother's maiden name
- home phone
- used of SS# as passcode to an account

It's interesting, the vehemence with which some people reject some technologies. You can feel a kind of fierce personal pride in many of these responses - a kind of assertion of superiority over the technology, or over the people who aren't able to reject it.

Don't get me wrong, I feel it too about the things I reject, but it's interesting that it's so often accompanied by this implied assertion of self worth. Silly example, but I reject surround sound / 5.1, since I have only two ears, and I feel quite "purist" about it. Is it because we live in a society predicated around the assumption that consumers will consume what they're marketed?

Like many people who've commented, I think it is perhaps more certain behaviours or ways of interacting with technology that I reject, rather than the technology itself. And often, it is inertia/cynicism/perversity rather than a deep ideological objection.

For example, I had rejected using an RSS reader for at least a couple of years (from when I first became aware of what it was, and tried one out) to very, very recently. I preferred seeing people's blogs as they were designed, all in context and with all the styles in place (style has a lot of effect on how I perceive text and its emphasis, somehow). But then the round of looking at particular blogs with which I wanted to keep up to date simply became too much, and I capitulated.

It sounds odd, too, but I kind of rejected the idea of divorcing content from style, as in CSS, etc, when I first learned about it. I like style and content (form and function) to be integrated. I like reading books where the author has had a significant input in the design of the book. Would Forrest M Mims III's classic electronics books be the same if they were neatly typeset? While I know CSS doesn't, of course, preclude the author having as much input as he or she wants in how the content is styled, the idea leaves me cold, somehow. It's like when you read a glossy, very stylish, over-designed brochure from a company and find spelling mistakes or poorly written text. The text is so divorced from the style that it seems wrong, artificial, uncommitted. At present I grudgingly, inconsistently and badly use style sheets.

I reject air-conditioning full stop, though that probably comes from living in a cold climate where there are only a few days a year where it might be 'useful'. Part of me (the engineer) feels that it's wasteful to use electricity to cool things, if that electricity is being converted into heat at both the source of generation and at the refigerator itself. If I could get away without a fridge, I would. One day, when I get the chance to build a house, I will equip it with a naturally cooled room, whether that's via running water or some renewably powered system.

I reject power steering on passenger cars. If you need to turn the wheels while the car is stationary, then you are a bad driver, the parking space is badly designed, or the car is too big. If the car is too heavy to steer without power assistance, then it is too heavy full stop. Power steering should not be necessary on anything other than large load-carrying vehicles.

This sounds especially curmudgeonly, but part of me rejects the use of automated route-planning systems. My mental grumpy logician says "If someone can't plan a route using a map or atlas, and hold significant chunks of that route-map in his or her head while driving, and be aware of his or her position on that map, then perhaps he or she isn't sufficiently spatially aware to be allowed to drive." I'm not sure that I really believe that, and after all, why should I care about how other people use technology? But it does surface as an internal mental outburst from time to time.

At the current I reject...

* RFID (although I do not have the technology to become aware of it) and TCPA-technology

* Cyborgism and any other changes to the human body or mind grounded in transhumanistic theory

* Any technology which inflicts on privacy or personal integrity

_____________________________

I wish I were able to reject:

* "Closed" source software

* "Closed" access publishing in academic publishing

* Cars and other CO2-accumulating technology

* Certain processed foods
______________________________

I whish I only used:

* Linux - but my computer "refuses" to install it

* Open source software - but I want to be able to communicate files and data in a compatible fashion with the rest of society

* Home-grown vegetables (in the broader sense of "technology", both growing and kitchen wise)

Maybe this comment was more of a political stance although not ment as such - sorry. I became aware of RFID and TCPA this very year (about three-four months ago) and have been aware of open source software for some years now (maybe 5-7 years ago). I was not aware of the existence of the open access publishing of academic journals until recently (1-2 months ago). Click my signature Anon which links to the Public Library of Science (not my homepage).

I am currently involved in a scientific project on ethics were we consider the impact of virtual societies, AI and humanoid robots. Drop me a mail if you have a story about meeting a robot or other AI which you thought were very humanlike.

KK, please remove this post if you find it is of a commercial nature! Questions are welcome!

/ Demographs: Sweden, 22 y.o. male

Convenience Meds: Rejected ever since graduating from university in 1990. At school any ailment was worthy of at least 800mg of Motrin, 1600mgs (two tabs) if it was more than minor and a multi-day scrip for three to four tabs a day if it was bad. Headache meds, sleep/pep/jetlag meds, allergy meds unless I can't function (nose cleansing with a neti pot works wonders), "I'm uncomfortable" meds, "I'm not happy" meds, "I'm too fat" meds, etc all rejected. Not to say I don't pop pills (multivits), use foot powder if my toes are rotting, drink caffeine (yes, it is medicine on some days) and use essential medical technology because rejecting health is crazy. And new med tech like custom treatment based on genetic info sounds great. But in general lots of the "cures for anything and everything" are out. Not sure if that counts as a "technology" or if it's more of a cultural phenomenon.

Also have rejected clock time my whole life except for the four years at university (had to make it to formation as well as classes on time) and work days these days (computers and phones give me the time). My favorite time-keepers/trackers were the horns or bells at summer camp to change activities during the days, a bugle for wakeup and taps at lights out.

I guess instant communication is also a rejection. IM, IRC, pagers, and any comm device when I'm hiking, working out, eating and even commuting most of the time because that's when I listen to music or NPR. Even picking up the phone is not required in my life most of the time. Two technologies enable that: caller ID and vmail. Man do I love caller ID.

Previous poster Jules mentioned AC. That's a good one. I don't have AC in my current house (3 years) and only use it in the car when it's 100degrees and I absolutely have to roll up the windows to talk on the mobile phone (handsfree please). Or I have to be dressed inappropriately for the weather (people wear suits in the summer?).

food : no indutrialy processed no can, no soda, no already cooked stuff
clothes : 100% cotton or wool, only, no synthetic stuff
no running shoes except when running : made of synthetic, too smooth, the foot needs to feel the ground
no tv : all programms are dumb, wasting my time
anyway i have a tv : only to watch dvd
car : only when i can't go by bike : rainy day, or an other people to bring with
no air conditioning (i live in south of france : it is not a real problem) : in car, at the office at home : it provides dusts and germs as well as cold air and the cold air itself is too cold
no warm water in summer for the shower : the warming system of the house is off
no vacuum cleaner : puts dust suspending 12 hours in the air ; better washs floor with wet tissue (i have no carpet)
these settings are driven by :
pleasure
respect of health
harmony with nature

I rejected Music about 10 years ago. I don't know if that's technology or not. Don't own any, and I don't listen to music at home, work or in my car.

Too secular. But I don't care for Christian music either - its really poor quality.

I enjoy the music on Prairie Home Companion every once in a while.

I rejected cell phones for 12 years because I considered them defective technology - in my opinion they just plain didn't work right. Garbled conversations, dropped calls, etc. There was too huge of a difference between the quality of land line phones and the quality of cell phones.

I have not worn a wristwatch for 10 years. The last one I had I got from Burger King. I think it was some sort of Nightmare Before Christmas promotional piece. It lasted for three years then I lost it. I still miss that stupid thing. I do not own a cellphone. I do not want anyone being able to reach me at anytime.

I do like email however and it is my primary mode of communication. I like that I can take my time and think about a response before giving it and not feeling like the clock is ticking as I do during phone calls. I can conduct 20 different conversations at the same time using email - and do it on my time.

Very simple, the only "technology" I have rejected is the gas bar b que. Cook over wood or eat it cold!

I rejected the installation/connection of broadcast/cable television in June 2004 and have since rediscovered my love of literature and the creation of visual and communication arts. My wife and I still watch DVD's or videos on occasion which makes those times more "date-like" for us.
We also spend quite a bit more quality time together cooking, gardening, walking and hiking around our corner of the world.
I also rejected Chat Rooms after a brief experimentation time in Fall 2002. Overall, the overwhelming presence of sexbots and whatnot was extremely annoying and juvenile. Add to that the number of people that would try to pick fights with everybody or maybe just wanted some cybernookie and you have a recipe for wasting your time.
After scanning the entries briefly, it seemed that one particular technology hadn't been mentioned. My only disclaimer is that I didn't read every single post so I may have missed it.
Online education. I know quite a few people that reject the entire idea altogether. I began working on my BA online during Summer 2001 semester and gave up work in January 2002. My decision was based on the content/flow of the courses I was taking at the time. At that point, most of the online programs I found were focused on degree programs in which I had absolutely no interest.
However, after a 3.5 year sabbatical, I'm enrolled to begin an online program this Fall and I'm interested to find out what the courses will be like as I am finishing a BA in Philosophy. I believe this will be especially interesting since Philosophy is a classic subject that most of my peers believe will be impossible to study successfully online.

I reject cell phones. I hate them. I have never had one and never will. I have a old hard wired phone that costs 17.00 a month and a answering machine. I hate the thought of being reachable anytime and place, I will never be always reachable. If I am not at home the last thing I want is a telephone.

CELL PHONES: I reject cell phones for a reason that may be unique around here -- I am hard of hearing and the audio quality of most cell phones is worse than terrible.

I have heard (poorly) it said that there are technical innovations that improve audibility of the phone signal, available at a price -- a dear price. I've found it increasingly difficult to secure employment, in part, due to my hearing loss. Now, how do I pay for pricey signal-processing on an austerity budget?

Technology routinely promises to help people overcome their problems, yet also promotes those very same problems! For example, the "paperless office" provides as many hassles as the old-fashioned office, in addition to requiring fundamental skills in computer technology, library science, and extra chores like backing up the hard drive.

Nonetheless, technology has given us more gold than gravel on the road to Utopia. While I can't yet use cell phone technology, I have moved all my music onto hard disk, and process the signal so I can hear it better. Since the quality of my hearing changes from day to day, a little tweak here and there keeps the playback as enjoyable as I can make it.

In the words of the old code jockey, "ya wins some, ya loses some."

I reject the current trend of convergent billing whereby you have multiple bills payable to one company. The biggest example is the phone company (SBC cemented my position) - local phone service, long distance, broadband, cellular service, satellite service!! I have been avoiding this type of billing for 10 years or so. I use the following rationale:
1) Why give 1 company all the power over your services? What happens when you get tired of having to call the customer support for 1 service and want to change?
2) If fraudulent long distance charges or on the bill, you have to pay them to first and then hopefully get a credit. What happens when that fraudulent amount is more than you can pay?
3) The Co's offering this type of technology are basically reselling the service using partnerships, etc. You pay one company and call another for service?

Anyway, that's my two cents. Keep the change....

I nearly always carry a pen and a small notepad around. I find this to be far more useful than those PDAs. When something pops into my head or I want to get a phone number from someone, I want to do it NOW instead of messing around with a bunch of menus and styluses (styli?) and whatnot.

I use a cellphone, but I don't like text messaging, and have never sent one. (I've received about 3 or 4, mostly spam from the carrier).

As for the whole wristwatch deal, I can't function properly without mine. If I tried to, my wife would kill me, as it was a gift from her. As a former member of the Canadian Forces, a watch was pretty much a necessity. As a regular poker player, I still need to keep one on, as there are no clocks in casinos.

I have thus far rejected:

Cell phones: They're handy every so often, but between the truly annoying habits they engender in people and the monthly bill, I decided I could do without. They offered me one for free at work but I declined... they use my land line number if they need me.

PDA: My employer actually gave me one as a gift! I gave it away to my brother, a freelance musician who gets much more out of it than I ever would have. Paper is good.

TV: I have one I got for free, but only watch it 4-5 hours a month at most. No, really!

Watch: Haven't owned one for 25 years now. I have an excellent "inner clock" now, and I don't miss appointments or show up late. Nothing against them, but I can't stand any kind of watches, jewelry or other stuff on my hands. My first and only wrist watch was lost after I took it off because it annoyed me to death.

Tech I like and use every day:

G4 PowerMac and DSL. Yum.

iPod: Love it, totally addicted. Would buy another in a New York minute if I lost it. No more carrying craploads of cassettes or CDs around, no more stolen car stereo units. I have a hidden amp and speaker set up and a big hole in my dashboard where the stereo used to go... no more broken windows, either!

Dryer: I went without one for 20 years, just got one, love it. I still hang clothes out when possible, but in the Pacific NW, that's maybe 5 or 6 months a year at best. It's too damp and moldy to hang stuff inside, and drying takes FOREVER.

Cars: The older they are, the better I like them. Computers and black boxes in a car are the evil spawn of Satan. Simple is good.

I reject the technology of wooden pencils, in favor of mechanical pencils or pens. I also reject instant messaging, as I prefer a phone call, though I hate those as well and truly prefer a face-to-face conversation. I also reject cars in a way, I don't mind being a passenger, but I hate driving and will avoid it at great cost/inconvenience to myself, though I do like to rollerblade or ride a bike or motorcycle.

The only technology that I've specifically said "I reject thee" for political/personal/idealogical reasons is Wintel PCs. Most of the technologies I've rejected are ones that I've either tried and found no real use for (Linux, PDAs, games) or simply haven't tried because they just don't interest me or I have no current use for (IM, IRC, WiFi, Bluetooth). Some I think are just silly (wireless keyboards & mice).

I like to read about the latest technology but I reject the "state-of-the-art" lifestyle, ie- always having to have the latest and greatest. I have a basic cel phone; I don't need/want it to be an address book/camera/fashion statement. I generally use way-past-the-curve computers (mostly because I'm cheap!) except for this new G5 my wife bought me. I have a digital camera, but it's three years old. I drive an 18-year-old Toyota!

Hi, Kevin. Neat site.

Believe it or don't, I've never used an ATM. Just retro I guess. But I like cash, and prefer to withdraw it in wads of $1,000 per pop, and ATM machines won't give you 8 C-notes and 10 sawbucks.

Don't like PDAs either. A little pocket notebook boots up much faster

I reject alarm clocks. See no point in starting my day off with a shock.

Most of my other rejections have been posted by others -- dish washers, automatic transmissions, computer games, PDAs, cell phones for other purposes besides traveling, TV news, MapQuest.

I reject cell phones: never far from a pay phone for MY use; otherwise, cell phones are for other people to call ME. And I pay for their time to call me? nope.

Pencils are a form of technology. I am sure that in some ways, shoelaces contribute to ecological deterioration. Some tools facilitate daily life, some are a hindrance. Plato (I believe,) was suspicious of the written word, beleiving it an aid toward misrepresentation.
I use anything that allows me to be fluid in this culture. I don't outwradly "reject" anything.....though, I choose not to take advantage of things which impress me as being bothersome. For instance- I really dig email and would have a tough time maneuvering through my professional activities without it, but , don't particularly appreciate "text messaging" which seems redundant and unnecessarily time-consuming. I love my wristwatch. In one of his books, Neal Postman suggests that God died on the day that the first clock was manufactured.
Ultimately, I think that many responses suggest the growing pains of living in a time during which we need to acclimate at a rapid pace to changing tools and methods. Perhaps we compensate for feelings of powerlesness by these "rejections".......our only hands-on (hands-off?) control in a technocratic society.
What we need to concentrate on is having the services radically improve and made available. I don't think we should have to pay for broadband!! Mobile phones should equal land-line audio quality (why should I have to pay for two phones, other than, obviously, suporting a corrupt industry??) I mean, hey....the technology isn't going anywhere, but, the busines models might flex to meet more reasonable demands??
Thanks and take care......

Mechanical devices of computer ie hard disks,floppy disks and cd-driver .State of the art technology should be able to make obsolete these devices..

I'm late to this party, but I love the topic and had to rant.

Grocery stores that give discounts to "reward card" holders are on my rejection list (five years now). If they are willing to offer goods at that price, they shouldn't make me use a card. However, I have no qualms about using my VISA, which would allow them to track my buying habits.

Rob Cockerham devised a neat hack for Safeway customers:
http://www.cockeyed.com/pranks/safeway/ultimate_shopper.html

I reject the cell phone. I had one until early 2000 (beginning of my Luddite phase) and refused to turn it on unless I was expecting a call or had to make one. Basically I don't want to reachable all the time, so I've gotten rid of that as well. Many of my technology renunciations involve maximizing my contiguous time.

Watches are off my arm. If I need to know the time, there are clocks everywhere (including other peoples' watches). When I wore a watch (2000) I always looked at it (duh, they call it a "watch"). Now I have a better innate sense of time.

I've rejected the QWERTY keyboard. It is a bad way to arrange the keys. Learning the Dvorak layout was a small way to elevate good design and protest the bad.

Television is too tempting and empty, and there is so much else to do (post on kk.org for example). TV is out of my house now, though I'm happy to watch DVDs on the laptop every now and again. And "Yay NPR!"

The recording industry used its micro-monopoly powers to gouge consumers. Then it tried to beat digital distribution opportunities into submission. I go out of my way to not support this behavior. In this spirit I am against the HDTV broadcast flag.

Also I'm down on unsustainablity, including consumption of fossil fuels (bad Hummer!), Mall-Wart (too much consumption), factory farming, Internet Explorer, etc. I also believe in some basic rights to privacy in a digital world, so I oppose things like CAPPS and Carnivore while supporting people's access to solid cryptography. The EFF and the ACLU are important organizations.

FAX. I hate fax. Blurry images, often on slippery paper. Since it's analog, faxes are frozen. You can't copy or maniputlate what you get.

I use fax so infrequently, that when I must send a fax (for legal matters, for example), I have to remember how to plug it in, how to use the software, and how to send a message I always seem to be starting from scratch.

GAMES. I don't understand where people find the time to become expert in complex games. And I really don't get paying tens of thousands of dollars to buy an island in a massive multiplayer game. That almost qualifies as "Ugly American" behavior. "Oh yeah, him. He had to pay for it."

Love your site here, Kevin.

It seems to me that people don't reject technology. That is the end result - the event - of people rejecting entities which distribute tools or services to people.

I am currently researching ways to ditch my cell phone. That is the event, but I am trying to remove myself from the relationship with the telecommunications entity that services the cellphone connectivity. I am trying to design the replacement communication architecture, which so far seems to be ( IM, email, VoIP ) which is both portable and freely available in my environment.

Those things are easy to achieve in static locations, such as work or home, but I am looking to the portability gap. So far, the best solution I can conceive is Skype or a Vonage SmartPhone on a PDA via WiFi.

There is no need for telecom entities with their credit-rating fear tactics of contracts and $40-$100/month costs. This is the entity I am trying to shed.

I'd much rather have a PDA running linux which can use voice-video-data chat and transfer and VNC through SSH to any of my remotely deployed computers. Woudln't you?

PS. I refuse 'bags' every time I buy things, I take stairs before escalators, I don't smoke cigarettes or own a car (if I did, it'd be a Tango), I only watch TV for entertainment not information, and also reject republicans.

In one slice of my life, I rejected the Internet.

In the past, I helped people out of destructive cults. Being a former member, I felt I had a good point of view on how they worked and could explain the social, business, and marketing aspects of destructive cults. Also being a programmer, I knew how to use technology to reach an audience.

As a consultant, I wanted to use the web to spread my expertise as a way of marketing my expertise in this admittedly niche field. However, I ultimately decided against doing so as I felt the cost of making myself a lightning rod for harrasment outweighed the benefit of helping people and finding clients in what was for me, a part time vocation. In this sense, the fact that the web is like a world wide broadcast network worked against me. I felt the risk of easily coming up on the radar of the larger, more litigious groups, far outweighed the benefits to myself or my audience.

It is surprising how many people give up a piece of informational technology known as the Social Security Number. I will not give out this information to anything but a credit agency.
You'd be amazed how un-required it becomes when you refuse to give it. I have been refusing this information along with my telephone number for about 15 years and it makes my life occasionally inconvienient, but as usual, people are starting to follow my stubborn ways. :-)

I don't use a dishwasher. I don't get it! Rinse the dishes and then have a mechanical rinser re-rinse them for you???

If I can get away with no cell phone I will. I currently use a Trac phone (pay-as-you-go). I would not own one if not for this phone.

I have not gotten rid of television yet, but I aim to. This is not a rejection of the technology, however, but of the manipulation of the content forcing you to buy further products and technologies to get the experience you wanted in the first place. That is, when cable first came out, they advertised the value of the premium service as being movies and special programs that were shown without commercials, so you have to pay for it. NOW you have to pay for "premium" channels to buy so-so movies, pay-per-view to buy anything decent and now they embed advertisements WITHIN THE PROGRAM to counteract the TiVo owners. It's CRAZY.
I also reject plastic surgery unless someone is actually disfigured.

What I actually *reject*: acknowledging the "instant communication obligation" aspect of any technology. I don't answer my telephone unless I know who it is and want to talk. Which means only when I was just talking to someone and we got disconnected or some such. I don't use voicemail on my landline - I have an answering machine so I can screen my calls and decide whether I want to talk or not. I refused to have a cellphone until last year (I won't say my age, but this means consciously rejecting cellphones ever since they became truly portable). I finally got one last year because I was building a new house and getting married. Now that both are done, I hardly use it. I don't use IM and only use IRC for specific "appointments" - I don't just "hang out".

On another note, I wish that I could reject many things based on monopolies or bad business practices, but find it impractical. For example, I hate Microsoft, but Apple is expensive and Linux too involved and doesn't have as many choices. I would like to reject huge stores like Walmart and support more small local stores, but I don't have a lot of money and Walmart has good things at a low cost.

I also have been a vegetarian for almost 2 years.

As I noted earlier, I reject TV, microwave, traditional phone, pop and refined grains.

If you want to find someone that rejects a great number of common technologies, you should look at Ofek's site:

http://economads.com/
http://economads.com/libaware.php

good times,
Reid

I reject computer technology that is designed to limit my ability to use my computer or infringes on my rights to use it how I see fit.

DVD Audio Discs (we're told the quality is far superior to CDs yet, unlike CDs, they are DRM'd to prevent us from listening to music on the devices of our choosing)

Any software that requires annual renewel fees (Most antivirus software comes to mind). Instead, I use AVG Antivirus which is completely free for personal use, includes automatic updates, and contains no spyware or adware.

Any software that contains adware or spyware.

Lexmark and Dell Printers (Dell's are made by Lexmark). Lexmark includes chips on all their ink cartridges which only serve 1 purpose: To send a code to the printer telling it that you bought Lexmark's brand of ink. This makes it impossible to purchase generic ink from other suppliers at a reasonable cost, since for them to make theirs compatible they would have to bypass the copy-protection on the chips, thus, violating the DMCA. One company was recently sued by lexmark for $200M for that very reason.

I reject software that "phones home" without my consent. Many software installations now covertly indicate to the publisher when you connect to the internet, how long you're logged on, and more. When my firewall starts acting up because of a program that wants to talk too much, I set it to have no internet access at all.

Since the RIAA has started their suits against consumers for sharing music, and since they've been successful in getting congress to limit consumers rights across the board in ways that make it a federal crime for a 13 year old to use daddy's computer to download a song, I do not purchase music anymore at all. It makes me ill to think about paying for anything that would help to line the pockets of those criminals.

I reject any service that 'requires' my email address without a clear privacy policy that guarantees not to cause me grief because I gave it to them.

I'm not sure I am capable of rejecting any technology that society has embraced. I don't wear a watch because I work work my hands and it gets in the way. I don't reject time. I would like to reject anything that fails to ennoble the species or that lowers the lowest common denominator. Television comes to mind but I don't think the technolgy is at fault. I reject the concept of
SUV's but I still drive a car. No choice really. I listen to vinyl records but have not rejected digital recordings. Vinyl is better but less convenient and there are times when sloth overcomes me and I chose against quality. I have rejected fax technology but there is nothing particularly courageous about that. So has most of the rest of the world. I'm pretty sure that technology is not an Evil we need to vanquish. We do need to turn the utilization of technology into a craft.

OK - just about totally unused are - faxes to receive fax documents - and cell phone to receive calls - I remember very clearly when my brother had a fax machine and junk faxes were coming in at all hours of the day and night - so I refuse to keep a fax hooked up to receive documents that someone feels like sending at any time of the day - I only plug a fax machine in when I want to send a document out (which is expected at the other end) or when a person is sending me one that I expect and has called me about it first -

As far as my cel (if I have one) it is only for calling when I am on the road - I am not interested in being interrupted anywhere to receive anyone's "important call" - and my outgoing calls are either to family members or to return a call from a customer -

When it comes to e-mail - that is fine since there is no interruption to whatever I am doing when they come in and I certainly feel free to answer them when I am ready and find the time - (maybe at 5AM or in a few days) -

Cell Phones: I don't need to be on a leash all the time. There is an answering machine at my house. Let the world leave a message.

Elaborate ISP plans: I don't need some corporate behemoth packaging up the web all nice and pretty for me. Every time I get new service I follow their instructions for install this software, go to these pages, etc. Once I have the service up and working steadily I go back through and throw out as much as possible of the non essential nonsense they like to bundle in with it. I don't need a web portal, just a fast connection.

PDAs: I don't see any possible way that they are superior to paper day/date organizers.

Chemicals: I spend enough time getting up close and personal with a variety of commercial chemicals. I made a deal with my liver a while back. My responsibility is to not feed it anything I can't pronounce. It's responsibility is to shut up and work quietly. So far we're doing fine, although now the spleen wants to open negotiations.

Laser Eye Surgery: The advertising is great, the odds are favorable, Lots of success stories, but if they screw up, then what do you do? I'm waiting for the technology to mature. Let somebody else be the guinea pig.

Pams statement about cell phones: She has an old phone with no service plan. It doesn't accept calls, it can't make calls. It doesn't really have a number. However even if you don't have any plan or provider the cell phone companies are required to accept and handle emergency 911 calls. That tired old phone that she pays nothing for is still good for calling 911.

I've rejected broadcast and cable television for the past 18 years, however I do have a DVD player and VCR for movie nights (most movies are from the public library or Greencine).

I've also rejected big box chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble.

I don't use a clothes dryer as it's not all that efficient.

I also don't own a hair dryer. I wash my hair at night and when I wake up it's dry and soft. I don't use hairspray, gels, or mousse. I will never dye my hair. I've been going grey (actually white) since I was a teen and don't mind it at all.

I won't use Microsoft's browser, MSN, or AOL in any form (even for IM).

I also reject foods with any form of sugar or white flour...haven't eaten them for years! I feel great!

I am completely fascinated by what people choose to use and more so by their concepts of "rejection." I'm struggling to understand what constitutes "rejection." Looking from technology's point of view, there is almost no difference betwen a digital watch and a digital clock on a cell phone. So when someone says they reject watches and use the cell phone's clock, I can only imagine technology smiling.

There are similar problems with the distinctin between PDAs, blackberries and cell phones. Or between mp3 files and CDs. Or between wifi and cellular. And so on. I think many of these are the same technology with different t-shirts on.

I'd like to hear more from folks what they mean when they "reject a technology." What are you rejecting? It sounds like you reject a certain behavior rather than a certain technology.

Do others agree?

I recently re-adopted the technology of the personal timepiece, because I found one that had a lobster-claw clasp that hung it on a belt-loop instead of strapping onto my wrist.

I have rejected credit cards, although I do use ATM/debit cards. The system is rigged to reward perpetual debt, rather than scoring you on your actual ability to pay.

I have rejected personal ownership of a car.

I am in the process of rejecting broadcast television (it will probably take another couple of years). I currently watch about 5 hours a month on average.

Due to my SO's violent allergy to corn, I have rejected all processed foods containing corn or corn-derived ingredients: corn meal, corn oil, corn starch, corn protein, corn flour, and, most difficult to avoid, corn syrup. I'd consider that last to be a technology, and one which is rapidly displacing sugar as a sweetener in virtually all processed foods except hard candy. Within a few years (absent someone beginning to market corn-free products) this will result in a de-facto rejection on my part of all processed foods.

I have (so far) rejected cellphones, but this has mostly been a reaction to the plans offered. I actually consider Virgin Mobile's plan to be reasonably sane, and may be purchasing one this year.

I have also rejected TV news. Comparing the internet stories from different countries with different agendas gives more than one point of view. For instance, arab news seems to be blatantly antisemetic (not just anti -Israel). However, the pictures of bombed mangled babies bought by my US taxes was not to be seen in the USA (the federal communications commision controls the information too well). Al Jahzeera came through with the ugly truth. Shortly thereafter, their website was down for a few days.

I reject complicated home audio systems that purport to wire the whole house. Give me an independent system in each room. The larger systems seem to quickly outdate and generally require their own live-in technician. A good case of a system growing and quickly overpowering the consumer.

When did it become impossible to channel surf without a primer?

Thanks for the Wonderfull informationen!!
It was exactly what I was looking for!!

Ah, I just thought of something else:

For many years, I rejected mountain bikes and cross-country skis. As a lifelong naturalist who tends to look very closely at plants and wildlife, the idea of zipping through the woods on a bike or skis seemed to me rather like roller-skating through the Louvre.

I eventually relented on both: a mountain bike was the only way to go when I lived on a backwoods dirt road in Vermont for 10 years, although I still generally refused to ride it on trails. And I started cross-country skiing a few years ago because my girlfriend liked skiing. I still prefer snowshoes, but have to admit that skis are fun too.

Edgar, on March 12 said " I use IRC, but reject any flavor of instant messenger. I have enough distractions and in-boxes. I figger if I'm on IRC, I'm asking for a distraction."

Well, I reject any kind of "chat system" (specially IRC and IM's) since 1998, and till that day I was quite an IRC addicted. The reason is quite simple: those kinds of systems are retro-evolutive. There are systems that can be seen as "chat systems" but in fact are "virtual worlds": I'm talking about talkers, derivative of MUD's and what can be seen as a natural evolution of MUD's and, in general, of virtual worlds, which, BTW, I believe will continuously have a bigger role in humans history. Sice you're an entusiast in this matter, if you want to talk more about this issue feel free to contact me via e-mail.

amazing that so many reject watches. the wristwatch is the direct successor to watchmaking technology which allowed for world navigation! it is impossible to think of the history we have - indeed our own existence - without watches. amazing that so many reject such a basic and important technology.

i have rejected television - of all forms - no TIVO, no VCR, nada. after watching crap for too much of my life, I have all kinds of time to read, think and talk to people. CBC and NPR radio, and the BBC on the web give me all the media and info I need

I also reject watches, feels uncomfortable to have one on my wrist. Plus I don't see the point. Having the time on my computer or cell phone is good enough for me.

I hate tapes, both video and audio. Was so glad when I could replace my audio tapes with minidisc technology. Tapes are noisy don't allow random access and just don't feel right to me.

Maybe this is a tangent because I can't do without, but I hate to deal with stuff connected by cable. Like when I'm travelling I carry a headphone for my audio player and a headset for my phone, need to pack a different power supply for every gadget I use... That's evil. I'd be interested in buying a GPS solution for my PDA but wouldn't take a wired one that I'd have to plug into my PDA and into the cigarette lighter.

I see some people have already listed some of mine, but here we go anyway:

Rejected: Wristwatch
Since: 1996
Why: I've already got a cell phone (formerly pager) in my pocket that can tell me the time if there's not a clock around (on the wall, on the dash of my truck, etc). Also, I do a lot of hardware work - I don't like it on my wrist. Tried a neat self-winding Swatch a year ago, and it got banged up in three days because I wasn't used to having something there.

Rejected: Wi-Fi
Since: never had it to begin with
Why: I'm moving away from my uber-geek ways, and confining all the computers in the house to a single room. That way, to get away from computers (I'm a sysadmin for a living) I just have to leave the room. The TiVo doesn't count, because it doesn't *appear* to be a computer, just a "magic box". Plus, I avoid security problems and keep the speed of 100 megabit or gigabit ethernet over Cat5 cable, and have a nice managed Cisco switch.

Rejected: Audio CDs and cassette tapes
Since: 2001 or so
Why: if I *do* buy an audio CD, I rip it to MP3 and throw the original CD in a drawer to never be touched again. Lately, a ton of our music purchases have been direclty in digital form through the iTunes Music Store. I do occasionally re-burn an audio CD from MP3s to listen to in my truck, but that's just because I haven't bothered to put an MP3 player in there yet.
I got rid of all the cassette tapes in my house a couple of years ago - the only cassette player remaining in the house is part of a boom box that my mother bought for me when I was 13 (17 years ago).

Rejected: Instant Messaging
Since: 1998
Why: I've got an IRC client up 24/7 on a private (non-advertised, small group of people) network. If someone needs to get in touch with me, they know my IRC nickname and my email address. If that's not quick enough, anything that urgent means they have my phone number. If I'm already on IRC, I see no need to have to run separate IM clients at home and work, and maintain buddy/friends lists on multiple services.

Rejected: Microsoft Windows
Since: 1997
Why: Everything I need to do with a computer, I can do perfectly well with a system running Linux, or my dual-cpu G4 PowerMac here at home. The only Windows system in this house is for my wife's games, and I don't touch it.

Rejected: PDAs
Since: Off and on. Have tried Newton, Palm, PocketPC..
Why: I find using a "computer" with a stylus to be awkward and too time-consuming. I either use vi and my "notes" text file, or a normal pen and a pad of paper. I can put a pad of paper in my back pocket and sit down without worrying - I can't do that with a PDA.

Rejected: Console games
Since: I gave away my Atari 2600
Why: Maybe i spent too much time playing Doom and Quake and Half-Life, but if I can't play a game with a combination of keyboard and mouse, I won't play it. I just can't handle "two hands" controllers. I never owned a Nintendo; the last "console" I kept for more than three weeks and played was an Atari 2600. I've tried Dreamcast, Xbox, etc, and none of them 'did it" for me. Playing Halo on the XBox after playing it on the Mac was awful.

I have never owned a clothes dryer and probably never will. For the past 25 years I've dried all my clothes outside on a line in summer, and inside on drying racks in winter. A dryer always seemed to me like a waste of money and electricity (or gas).

Hi there! I just found this place due to my habit of "web surfing", got interested and wasted many minutes on it! I am a counrty boy, hate cities! But, they are useful places to vist..but I would not last 5 minutes in one without getting in trouble! Anyway, I reject TV, consider it just a monitor for the VCR! Still have not managed to get a DVD player, any DVD's that I find I can watch on my computer! Credit cards are essential for my lifestyle..ever try travelling without one?? Lottsa places won't accept cash these days!! Sad, but true! Of course, I always pay the balance in full as soon as it is presented, hate enriching the Large Corporations! Still don't have a cell phone in the USA, have one but it only works in the Philippines here, I just use it for games, and to keep the battery charged up. ;-) Foreign travel is essential to my world-view, gives me an insight on just how folks live in other countries! Of course, I usually take the un-beaten path, get to know local folks, etc. Surprising just how little money folks can live on!! $$$$ Good luck with your site!!

Thanks for the above replies. What has been interesting for far is the lack of convergence on rejected technology -- except watches!

Pam, can you clarify what you mean by this statement (unless it was a joke)?:
"I reject cel phones, but reserve the right to carry my ancient, $15/month unit in a forgotten purse pocket in case I get into a wreck." From technology's viewpoint, this is no rejection.

discard: Watches, wrist or other, 15 years. Television, 6 years. Music on CD/DVD/cassettes/vinyl/radio/MP3/or other, decades Anti-depressants (as MM above), 5 years Anti-inflammatories, tend not to address the root cause (see anti-depressants), 2 years Owning an automobile (car, truck, motorcyle), they require a full-time job, 15 years

use pen/pencil/paper over any of the tech replacements
use ADSL/OS X
use digital voice recorder for interviews

watches, as someone said above, have been beaten to death. Anti-depressants seem only to address the symptoms, as do most anti-inflammatory prescriptions. Vehicles can be rented, borrowed. Pencils only need a knife, and paper, to work. ADSL because I would do without before either dial-up or the local cable provider. OS X because if you have to ask, you don't get it. :) Digital voice recorder so I can prove what the interview subject said.

Many of my rejections of technology revolve around achieving a clearer state of mind. For this reason I have rejected:

Multi-gear bicycles. Sounds odd, but I cycle San Francisco for 3/4 of all my transportation, up and over hills, and I find the mental energy of constantly having to choose the right gear takes away from the pleasure of cycling and of enjoying my surroundings. I owned 10 speeds and mountain bikes for years--now I have a rusty old one gear kick brake Schwinn Cruiser to which I have added a single hand brake, and step-out toe clips for increased efficiency (I know, toe clips on a cruiser!). The handlebars of the cruiser are designed for a standing position so you pull out of a stop light by standing, leaning forward and pumping. I always make it out of the gate faster than multi-speed bikes whose riders are fumbling for the right gear. My gears are now in the different muscle groups in my legs. It took me about a month to acquire them. And the feeling of acceleration is wonderfully direct.

For the same reason of mental clarity, I reject all unsolicited offers in any form, no matter how targeted or tempting: billboards, magazine ads, junk mail, spam. I see them as an evil force, corrupting legitimate communication mediums until they are useless. Ditto all points systems, credit card discounts, club discounts, memberships, frequent whatevers that I may be offered. Managing the complication of these things isn't worth it for me. I prefer to lose money than time and mental energy. When I shop, I search online, which puts me in control. If I feel need for something I go looking for it, instead of it looking for me.

Credit cards, going on 18 years. It's good discipline for me to not spend more than I have. I use a debit card instead. And from a mental clarity angle, it's easier to look at your statement and know your true balance, the sum state of your affairs, as it were, than to always be figuring in all your debt and worrying about the bills.

Rejections for other reasons:

Like others here, I rejected TV, as of about 5 years ago. Used to flip channels, then just stopped. No need for it. I think the web simply replaced it for me as the umbilical cord to the larger world. I kept it to watch occasional VHS tapes that artist/musician/dancer friends brought over of their work. Finally it died, and it may have taken me months to notice. Why did the web somehow replace TV? Active vs. passive, I guess. If I want to be passive, I'll go to a movie.

More out of principle, I refuse to watch TV news at all, even at other people's houses. I will literally walk out of the room. TV news, more than TV, is ruining our society, I think. It gives people the illusion of being informed, which is worse than being uninformed and knowing it.

Styrofoam cups. I won't drink out of them. Seems wrong to create something so permanent for a momentary sensation like the temperature of a beverage.

What a fantastic question, with such fascinating answers! Here's my deal: No cell phone, because it's a chore to remember to bring it, pay for it, worry about dropping it or losing it, and for what? I hate being reachable--it's a kind of slavery. For the same reason, I almost NEVER answer my land line phone. Speaking of which, I hardly ever call anybody on it, either. The idea of looking up a number and placing a call seems like too much work, to me. I like IM and a webcam for chatting with my brothers and sister. So much easier on my psyche to use. I don't use it like younger people do, because I can properly type. Most of my tech accept/reject decisions are based on sheer laziness or whether or not the tech enhances the experience. An example: I reject microwaves and love charcoal grilling (and I mean real lump hardwood charcoal, not those nasty compressed black lozenges). Watches are just a bother--putting them on, taking them off, batteries or winding, resetting 2x a year. I make coffee with a French press and don't own an automatic drip coffeemaker--better coffee. I reject anti-depressants because they don't address the cause of the depression, which was my crappy childhood and all the damaging reactionary defense mechanisms it's left me with. I reject genetically engineered food (when I can afford to) because organic food is better. Again, the experience thing. I grow my own food because I know what goes into it and it tastes better.

I love computers and digital cameras but I don't trust them one bit when it comes to storing things, so I will always take paper and film over anything that relies on zeroes and ones. Oh, and I hate new TV sets that you can throw away when the remote dies because every darn button is on the remote. Old TVs were so easy to fix. Most old stuff could be fixed with sellotape, and most analogue storage media still can. So I suppose I just have issues with digital equipment.

I reject SUV's or any hybrid thereof to try and make up for all the people who drive around wrapped in that much metal, using that much gas, ostensibly so they can haul people around...but are the only ones in the vehicle.

I reject all diet fads. (Is this technology? I think the constantly evolving and seemingly contradictory science involved could be...) Criminy. Eat less, exercise more, lose weight.

I reject cel phones, but reserve the right to carry my ancient, $15/month unit in a forgotten purse pocket in case I get into a wreck.

I reject palm pilot-y things. I'm good with a spiral note pad and an address book equipped with little post-it notes and a binder clip for business cards.

I reject credit cards (totally) and electronic cash (as far as possible).
Rationale: Privacy issues and possible abuse, especially with credit cards. And also: This form of payment encourages me to spend money. Motto: "I can only spend what I earn."
I have never used credit cards, but I use bank tranfers from time to time and of course ATMs.

Let's see....The wristwatch thing has been beaten to death, but I also intentionally reject them because I hate feeling crammed for time and rushed. Besides, clocks are everywhere we go. If I'm someplace where there isn't a clock on a wall, then I really don't need to know exactly what time it is (I have a fairly good internal clock). Entire life on this one.

TV: I grew up watching TV like most people my age (I'm 26), but since I set out on my own I have never owned a TV....complete waste of time and a brain-sucking leach. I do, however, watch TV if at a hotel, relatives, etc. Have not owned one myself ever.

Automatic transmissions: Conscious decision based strictly on the fact that I prefer controlling my own vehicle systems and the better fuel efficiency of a manual transmission. (2 years)

IRC, IM, etc: As others have mentioned as well. Used to use them extensively, then realized spent to much time on them. That was 3-4 years ago.

Land lines: In the military, I moved around a lot, and so a land line was never really an option. Started with a pager, but now I've had a cell phone for well over 6 years. Even though I own a home now, I still just keep my cell. Convenient, free long distance, free voicemail, free caller id. There is a land line in the house, but it was strictly at my wife's urging.

Paper: Yes, I reject paper and paper-based technologies as much as I possibly can. This includes fax machines (why fax? we have e-mail), regular mail, etc. I obviously still have to use paper, but electronic items are easier to store, take up less space, and are much more searchable. I receive no bank statements, investment reports, prospectuses, etc. if at all possible. I pay bills online, so I reject checks. I pay for all point of sale purchases with my debit/check card. Ironically, it has also led to the sad state that I only really keep in touch with friends and relatives via e-mail, and friends/family without e-mail never hear from me.

My list would probably go on and on, but I do have actual criteria for evaluating any technology:

1. Does it reduce the physical volume/mass of "stuff" that I have? (it's amazing what can be digitized)
2. Does it make my life easier, more organized, and simplistic?
3. Does it take away my direct operating control over a task?
4. Does it provide a reduced life-cycle environmental impact?

In regards to number 3, I am the type of person that likes to be in direct control, with hands on, of anything I'm doing. For example, I *love* ATMs, online shopping & banking, self-checkout lanes at stores, etc. I have no problem with automated tasks, but I just prefer to be the one that actually pushes the "Go" button.

-Jassen

I use computers (G4 iMac & iBook and a PC running '98 Ms.)
I love my Wave CD-radio. I have very sophisticated fishing gear ( paticularly my bait reels) and yet - my entire life is run on the supposition any and all of these delights may/will fail...
so, I know how to cook in colonial ovens
not to mention umukai, and make my own flax line and paua lures, and sing, and produce music from wind and stones and,
above all, be part of a supportive human matrix and learn as much as I can - and pass the learning on. I have a library (plus 12 thousand books) - this may be a resource. I have a brain - this will die. I make stories - some of these will continue- kia ora tatou -

OK, here are some technologies I accept, and why:

Charcoal Grill. Why: we always left our gas grill outside and the burners would rust out. The charcoal grill is cheaper, has no such problems, and burns hotter. Another benefit: you can hang out and have a drink while waiting for the coals to be ready.

Reading the paper on the web. Why: We didn't read the paper enough to justify the huge stream of paper cluttering our house and needing to be recycled. What's more, it's easier to scan all the headines online, and pick which articles to read--especially when they're all on one web page. I also like being able to forward articles/links to friends, which is easier with a web newspaper.

Drying clothes on the line. Why: Less wear and tear on our clothes. The clothes feel and smell better. Saves energy. My wife insists on it.

HDTV. Why: This came as a surprise to me, but when I saw the picture in the show room I was hooked. More information. It's more real. Nature and travel shows in particular. Given that we have not rejected TV, and considering what we'll spend on cable and netflix over the next 10 years, the extra investment seemed worth it.

Paint instead of Vinyl siding. Why: Though many of my practical New England neighbors have opted to go the Vinyl siding route, I choose paint on wood for aesthetic reasons.

We have rejected cable for 6+ years. I don't like the distraction it is for my family. Anything on the TV is planned and screened. We almost always time-shift something we wish to watch.

We have rejected national TV news... Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, et al. Again, we have decided that the liberal slant, sanitized reporting, screening of events and 60 second stories is unhealthy. Occasionaly it will be used for huge national coverage, ie president addressing the nation.

Convenince stores are off the list too for the same reasons. Shopping there is unhealthy for the family. While there are appropriate times to trade money for ease, it usually isn't a wise move. I want my children to learn that work is a benefit, not a punishment.

Internet is on the list, but only so long as I put the effort in to keeping a clean computer and filtering the internet.

Using the TV as a babysitter. Same reasons given above: it's not healthy for the kids.

We use automated payment options for those services which we use without thinking: energy, water, internet, telephone. Such methods are not used for services which require our attention: groceries, postage, entertainment and especially charitable giving. We're not opposed to the convenience of automated payment services. We wish to teach the children how to use money - how to budget - and those purchases that provide a more tangible lesson make learing easier.

Email is on the rocks right now. Spam can be an anoyance or an overt exposure to pornography. Filtering helps, but the current decision is that Mom or myself check the mail and delete that which is offensive or unwanted. The family has one email account for all to share. There are no secrets or privacy allowed here.

Can you predict our use of protable audio? Microwaves? Soda/Fruit Drink? Junk food? Here's one we're working on now: artificial food coloring. It's everywhere. To what end?

Henry,

I'm curious how you decide what to reject. Is there a principle you have other than "I no longer care for it" or "it's not as good as some other technology"? If this is true, then your list must be very long, because it would include everything you have never bought, yes?

For me the choice usually comes down a matter of time/benefit analysis. How much of my life's blood in time do I have to sacrifice in order to use the said technology or device? This includes the time to research it, buy it, learn how to use it, and then deal with it when it breaks or goes into disuse. With so many things competing for my time and a house already too cluttered with stuff, a tool has to be solve a real problem or tap into a major passion for me to allocate precious time to its acquisition and use. On this basis, I have opted to skip video games, PDAs, and Tivo, among other things. My other rule: no TV in the bedroom.

I reject watches and alarms, however I have one wall-mounted clock so that I know when to go to work.

I reject microwave ovens and rather use a conventional gas oven.

I reject gas-guzzling cars and rather drive a four cylinder car. If only hybrid cars were cheaper, I would get one immediately.

I plan to reject my landline phone opting to use only a cell phone. But I will keep cable TV and Internet.

I plan to reject Microsoft opting for Linux or Mac computer.

I plan to reject credit cards and start using cash only.

... and I reject the posting of cialis and other crap advertising here!

I think that it would be very hard to reject technology completely. There are those who would like to go backwards or stop further technological discoveries, but they would only be choosing a time period that they prefer with the benefits of not having to deal with the diseases, etc. that went along with that time period. I tried to imagine going back to living without technology but that took me all the way back to primitive humans. Is fire technology? Would using a spear be technology? What about verbal and written communication? Personally, I choose technology based on my level of control over it. Can I incorporate it into my life without it having a negative affect on my quality of life (morality included)? For a time I used only the latest and greatest technology but I discovered certain advantages to waiting just a little while to see how the rest of the world incorporates it before jumping in. Some of the latest security technology really scares me because I'm not sure if I'll be able to "choose" to use it or not. What if I don't want all of my medical info etc. on a smart card? Will I still be able to get medical treatment? I was brought up looking for the Biblical "mark of the beast". I'm not sure how I feel about that but some of the new technology has some eerily similar qualities (i.e. the small computer chip under the skin). So once again, my religious upbringing factors into it.

I am interested in some cable shows like the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. When we travel the kids and I will watch them when we stay at hotels. The only thing is I've noticed that we've seen a lot of them before. How is that possible when we only view it for 2-3 hours for just a few days per year? Cable channels could really be valuable educational tools if the content was fresh and somewhat interactive and the choice of channels could be customized cafeteria style. What I like about Dora the Explorer is my 3 year old daughter will answer her back in Spanish. Why can't that be done with nature programs or travel programs?

I was raised without TV. My grandmother did not have a radio and did not allow us to take photographs of her until the 1990's. As soon as I was on my own, I bought a TV/VCR combo and viewed it like I was making up for lost time. Now I've come nearly full circle. The TV/VCR is used only as a news source or as an educational tool for my children (if Dora the Explorer videos count). We don't have cable, but for important news (like 9/11) we'll turn it on to the local channels. I try not to tune into "daily" news but it seems to come anyway, whether it's by car radio, coffeeshop talk, internet, or other media. Staying informed doesn't seem to be a problem, staying openminded does. I

I gave up TV after it started to compromise with my moral standards. The programs were for the most part trash and the rest comercials. I also refuse to wear clothing advertising a company. If they want me to advertise them, pay me!

Alex, thanks for the very thorough inventory of your technological habits. Very helpful, and very mindful.

Any form of IM.

Why should I open myself up to random interruptions by people with poorly formed thoughts or questions? Think about it and then put it in an email ask to discuss it f2f.

I aslo keep my phone on DND 99% of the time.

There are many invisible (but standing jut in front of our noses) facts.

For example:

***The incredible number of deadths and injuries caused by motor cars. They should be quickly oulawed(as an unnaceptable risk) by the number of fatalities caused by its use, possibly greater than epidemics, wars and crime.

****The cast system that exists in the USA: Millions of illegal immigrants aretolerated and kept as semi slaves, working by far less than a citizen for the same job, with no rights, no documents, etc. . Don't try to tell me the joke that the FBI cannot fish and deport them by the millions if that was desidered.

***Many big blind spots like these must exist.

Nicolau

Wristwatches (many years), except sometimes an HRM when exercising. Clocks everywhere.

Cordless phones (never adopted) -- frequently shitty sound quality (even 900 MHz), gets misplaced under newspaper, expensive, batteries always seem to be dying. Use wall phones with long cords, instead.

Might eliminate landline when we move. Also might eliminate incoming phone line at work (dialout, voice mail and email only).

Instant messaging & texting (never adopted, probably never will).

HTML-formatted e-mail (always rude; never adopted).

Fax (use perhaps once per 18 months).

Power Point. I use the full-page mode in Adobe Acrobat, and prepare presentations in Illustrator. PowerPoint sucks so bad.

Rarely listen to CDs anymore (1 year?), though I still buy them, especially from small independent artists (rip, listen to ipod or computer).

TVs that get cable or broadcast, or cost >$99, are right out (with occasional backsliding, ~5 years). Netflix has eliminated video stores.

Will dramatically reduce, but not eliminate, personal auto use when we move from exurban Northern New England to Seattle, in the fall (without personal car 14 of the last 19 years).

Antistick cookware (+10 years; cast iron and old Calphalon are used instead; in a nonstick pan there's no glaze to deglaze; antistick=antiflavor).

Beef (this year, but I've never eaten a lot of the stuff); due to environmental impacts of cattle and increasing concern, among working scientists I know and respect, about BSE.

"Never-sharpen" knives (never adopted) that are, in actuality, never reallly sharp. Food processor (faster prep; slower cleanup than alternatives; footprint; never adopted). Bread machine (see food processor; never adopted). Coffee machine, at home; (footprint; more trouble than boiling water & using a Chemex or french press; 1 year). Aerolatte (another goddamn battery-operated single-use gadget; not that I'm not sorely tempted!).

Camelbak hydration systems for biking or hiking (+ 5 years).

New-style bicycle wheels with unconventional lacing patterns, because they are harder/impossible to maintain, offer no performance advantage, and are expensive.

Tubular bicycle tires. Clinchers have just gotten so good that there's no point to tubulars except in very specific competitive situations (track, time trial).

GPS for cars (never adopted; expert with map and compass).

Cars that can be remotely started, or stopped, by someone else (OnStar; never adopted, hope I never will).

In the laboratory, we increasingly use fluorescent or luminescent technologies in place of radioactive probes. Radioactive probes are unlikely to be eliminated altogether, but our use of them has declined dramatically over the last decade or so.

Someone has to stand up for the wristwatch, so it might as well be me. I wear one all the time [inc. sleeping, showering, etc.] It's a ten-year-old Swiss Army brand, water resistant. Mostly plastic and extremely sturdy. I like to know what time it is.

Someone upthread posted that the gave up the Internet because of "porn". Huh? In that case, give up books and magazines, because some of them are porn.

I gave up PDA's last year. I loved my Palm V, but it stopped working after my dog knocked it off my desk onto the floor. Since I'm living in rural Costa Rica and work at home, it was mostly used to play game and store addresses. I do miss playing "Bubblet" though.

I have no use for PDA's tried a couple and they all ended
up in the closet and later given to friends. Im not a watch
guy. Cell phones occasionally.

I love WIFI, email, blogs, books on tape, MP3 players and lately I have been getting into Skype but Ive never been into IM.

I'm one with Judy on having no TV but watching it on my rare stays in hotels -- and ending with the feeling that I am not missing anything but not having one.

And I too don't get text messaging -- it's a generational thing -- but I don't consider it a rejection. That is, I feel I am sacrificing nothing by not having it, while rejection entails more of a sacrifice, IMHO.

Its not that I have given it up but rather never accepted processed or prepared food. And it has nothing to do with concerns for my health - hell I make french fries in lard (that's beef tallow not vegetable oil) and I don't think fish is quite right without holandaise.
I don't think food technology is an improvement over cooking fresh ingredients for yourself. It doesn't taste any better, its not any faster and it certainly costs more. Not any faster? Well ok I think everyone should know how to make a good meal for themselves - this may be unrealistic.
The real problem with processed food is MARKETING. Lots of smart people devoting way too much time and energy trying to make some slight variation on popcorn or juice stand out on the grocery shelves so we will buy it. This more and more has shoved real food out of the grocery and into specialty stores, so its getting harder to buy simple products that aren't dressed up in some ridiculous way.
There are some recent food technologies that are just great, but I think in every case these are packaging innovations that allow stores to sell really fresh ingredients with longer shelf life and less spoilage. Two examples are those plastic bags of washed bags baby spinach and fresh packed cut fruits.

Hello?

Why has no one mentioned text messaging (or is it just me)? I can’t stand it...aol, icq, instant text gives me the jeebies though I don't mind using my cell phone or constant e-mailing, no problem.

The worst is text messaging on a cell phone. I think it's a waste of time pushing numeric key pads as if it's a typewriter…why? I once saw someone who learned how to speed type using his cell phone w/o even looking at the keys! It almost made me vomit! Honestly, I would just leave a voice message…

Thanks for listing to my rant

Nix on all internal engine powered entertainment (ATVs et cetera). Noisy, smelly engines are tools, not toys. Have boycotted all such contraptions since I had a choice.

Speech synthesis and recognition have always been useless to me, and will remain so unless I develop a visual impairment or if I lose my fingers in a tragic door slamming incident. I prefer to work quietly.

Fax software continues to win my private annual Most Bafflingly Egregious Technology award. Has anyone -- ever -- actually received a fax using fax software? I certainly haven't, and I've stopped trying.

I am underwhelmed by the efficacy of two popular therapeutic contraptions: ultrasound and TENS machines. I wouldn't dare bother (here) to assert that they constitute quackery, but I do marvel at the reflexive and dogmatic fashion in which they are so often applied to human flesh, especially by physiotherapists. Consumers and health care professionals alike continue to have rather arbitrary taste in medical widgets. I have never yet recommended such therapies to my own patients.

As a kid I played video games but these days I rarely even come close to a video game. I spend a lot of time on the internet doing research and web design. As addictive as gameing can become I wonder why our youth culture pays so much attention to video games. True they've come a long way from pong but I am afraid of their "brain numbing" potential. I wonder what those millions of kids that are looking blankly at a video screen would become if they were reading and doing research instead?

Left home at age 17 and have never owned a television in the nearly 40 years since. Am repeatedly fending off offers of free TVs and VCRs from well-meaning friends. BUT... when I check in to a hotel, the first thing I do is turn on the TV and will stay up until 3 in the morning gorging myself deliriously on whatever catches my eye, clicking through the channels again and again and again.

Oh no, I use ATMs and self-service gas pumps. Those are much better examples than the mail and bill paying examples I was using, to try to explain that I'm aware that my decisions about the toll transponders and check-out lines are pretty arbitrary. I'd sorta like to see those jobs get let go, frankly, if it meant there were new ways to make a living, but I don't see that as the reality.

Probably my decisions are based more on technologies that are arising during a time in my life when the possibility of unemployment is such a threat to me personally. I was too young for those to be worries for me when the ATMs and self-service gas stations appeared.

Terrie, I assume you do not use ATMs either (no jobs for tellers) or self-service gas pumps at gas stations (no jobs for pumpers) or those express check-in kiosks at airports (no jobs for clerks). Is that right? I'd love to hear how you decide which jobs are worth letting go?

I reject the FastTrack bridge toll transponders and the automated self-checkouts at some grocery stores, because I feel these technologies take jobs away from people who need them. I also like the loose sense of community that's provided by completing those transactions with another human, and I've decided that I'm willing to stand in line for it.

However, I have no problem with using email rather than physical mail which requires a delivery person, or by paying a bill online rather than going to my local utility office and paying it in person.

No watches! OK OK OK I get it!

One of the interesting observations a friend of mine made about our eclectic refusals of technology is that there appears to be no operating theory behind them. An operative theory would allow an impartial observer to be able to correctlly predict whether person X will accept or reject a technology they haven't mentioned yet. For instance I would not have been able to predict that sibylle would accept DVD but reject CDs. The thread that connects the rejections is not obvious, to me, or maybe even to them.

Also there is another pattern which is starting to emerge from these postings which is that many rejections are around a couple of years old. This suggests that the technologies are obsolete to that person, having been superseeded by something better -- rather than a benefit which has been sacrificed on a principal. They aren't really "rejected" because they no longer have any value so they are simply ignored.

Another way of saying this is if I asked the question, which technologies do you ignore, I might get similar or identical questions. But I meant rejection in a stronger way. I meant to deliberately avoid, not just sometimes, but always, a technology that you might otherwise use because you think it has value, but that the cost of that value is something you are not willing to pay.

Giving up an MP3 player or gym machines seems to me to entail no cost, no sacrifice, beyond a simple "I don't care for them."

I am thinking of the Amish who are very clear and very aware of what they give up by not having cars while living in the country. Or of the Luddites in giving up their weaving frames. Or of contemporaries who give up TV completely. Or vegatarians. While the renunciates feel they gain overall, there is nonetheless a penalty to pay.

Interesting question. Here is my (probably incomplete) list.

What I reject
Watch. For so long I can't remember. I don't like anything around my wrist, plus, I'm pretty good at guessing and estimating time.
TV. 2 1/2 years ago. Total waste of time. I do miss the Simpsons and South Park though and own the DVDs for those shows.

Microwave. 6 months ago. Never used it anyway and food tastes crappy. Plus I needed more counter space for (real) cooking.

PDA. 1 1/2 years ago. Switched from Windows to Mac and ran into compatiblity issues. Stopped using it and realized I don't miss it at all, so I sold it.

Car. I'm selling it right now. Don't need it enough to justify the cost. Want to not be dependent on a car and can get pretty much anywhere by public transportation or walking. For the rare occassion when I do need a car, I'm joining city car share.

I'd like to reject the phone land line but I have family in Europe I talk to regulary and the rates are 10 times higher on cell phones. In fact I'd like to reject phones in general, and use I them rarely aside from the family calls. I carry my cell with me all the time though for emergencies.

Fax. Never used it unless absolutely necessary. Clumsy outdated technology.

Windows. 2 years ago, at least for all home use. At work I still have to use a PC because we work with proprietary web based systems that only runs on Windows.

Radio. 2 years ago. Annoying, repetitive. I do listen to audiobooks during commute though.

Gym/exercise machines. 6 months ago. Boring, expensive. Getting more exercise outside instead.
Processed Food. 3 months ago. As much as at all possible.

CDs. 2 1/2 years ago. I still buy CDs but rip everything and have all music in a digital library. The CDs then immediately go into storage (minus their jewel cases to take up less space).
Contact lenses. 1 year ago.Too much hassle, and my eyes got too dry. Plus, glassed make me look smart :-)

What I can't live without
internet
email (and a good spam filter)
blog
mac
iPod
digital camera
dvds

I also don't want to be a slave of time and was never able to get used to wearing a watch. Claustrophobic technology.

No chat clients - too superficial - but I'm a very loyal user of webconferences.
No newsgroups either - too chaotic - I like structured conversation, like this thread that one can read from top to bottom.

No incoming fax. Too much hassle. I only use my fax for sending papers that can't be sent otherwise, and oblige my correspondents to send me e-mail or snail mail.

No portable MP3-player. Although I run a new media center and the iPod sounds good. I don't need it. I rather make my own music. I don't like to have anybody else's tunes in my head all the time.

No blog. I share an online lifestory in a virtual community where there's trust and intimacy. Blog technology is also too fragmenting for me; I'm a content integrator, interested in insight, and no blog technology I've seen enables that, so I developed a Flow desk, that enables me to (re)contextualize knowledge atoms in a flexible way.

I recently (two months) gave up using PDA after buying many over the years and using them constantly. From Newton on through Palm, then Handspring, then Clie, then Palm again. I also bought laptops and laptops over those years.
Then all of a sudden, as if in an epiphany, I knew that those years were dumb, and I preferred paper appointment book with sections to write in easily and look at whole months easily.
What struck me most was the suddenness and the sense that I had been deceiving myself with technology.
The laptop continues to be important, of course.

Thanks, Charlie. The idea of creating websites but not using the web is very Amish. In fact I recently met several Amish men who had websites for their businesses but didn't even have grid electric!

I think the Andy Crouch article mentioned is here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/009/26.56.html

I too am impressed by how many people "free ride' on the clocks and watches of others. Again this is very Amish -- they will use things (cars, phones) of others that they won't own themselves.

Also, if it counts as a technology, I don't watch TV news. I listen to NPR, and I read Google News (and the links it sends me to). But TV news is, I find, an even bigger waste of time than the rest of TV.

Meniotning the Amish puts me in mind of the Professing People, a christian group that rejects the 'technology of institution.' They often live rurally and dress somewhat plain and discourage makeup and so on with regional variations. They are often unknown although a fairly large, worldwide group because of the noninstitutional nature with no seminaries or public exposure or promotion, no telephone listing..Although there are websites. They own no property as a group, all writings are unofficial and its nearly a truly Oral Tradition not by culture but by deliberate choice. (I happened to have close school friends among them or would never have been aware of the existence)

My abstinence from this technology?
I consider myself one of them on some level and as I know how, and as did Simone Weil and so many, practice similarly on an inward level, although no longer in personal contact.

You probably have already seen Cory Doctrow's article "Amish for QWERTY":

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2003/07/09/amish_qwerty.html

I use IRC, but reject any flavor of instant messenger. I have enough distractions and in-boxes. I figger if I'm on IRC, I'm asking for a distraction.

Another vote for wristwatches. I don't like them. And I don't like people who look at them when they are talking to or listening to someone.

Nor do I care for cell phones or voice mail. I don't like talking to people who are not in front of me unless they are good friends. Listening to voice mail messages, to me, is like a visit to the dentist for a root canal. I can't do it. I can't. I love email for that reason.

Television. Give me a good book or a group of friends talking. I lot of this has to do with commercials and really mindless programming. The only reason I own one? a) Spouse b) The Daily Show

Same with the radio (except for NPR). I hate hate hate commercials. Yuck. Ptooi. (I love music so don't take away my CD's, please)

Electric instruments. Acoustic is better.

"Gadgets" I am the anti-tech-fad girl. Which is funny, because I married the ultimate digital revolution guy. I generally adopt interesting social ideas early and "things that I haven't needed before" last. And then, if they keep working, I never trade up. Wired Magazine would hate me (though my husband subscribes and loves it). I had my original Motorola "Phone in a Bag" that you had to plug into a cigarette lighter (what? I only used it in the car!) until I stopped driving to work. I was the last person to get CD's. Or a portable phone in the house. I have a old Zenith radio from the 30's -40's which I find to be a pleasure to turn on. The old house we are restoring is heated by a steam system, which I love to fiddle with.

However, I could not live without air conditioning when it the temp hits 88 degrees or higher. Which seems wrong, but feels so right.

Cruise Control: I am paying for the damn car, I drive the damn car.

First, Andy Crouch just wrote an article you (Kevin) should investigate. It was in the latest issue of Books and Culture, and deals with technology and spirituality (references to Borgmann, TiVo, and the Mini Cooper).

-------------------------------

Rejected technology: TV
Rejected since: summer, 2001 (when I left college, and got married) (2.5 years)
Reasoning: It's too easy for me to waste time watching. As Crouch (above) notes, my life is "too full and too short" to watch TV.
Exceptions: Will watch TV / movies while at friends' houses

Rejected technology: Internet (at home)
Rejected since: summer, 2001
Reasoning: Porn
Exceptions: None, at home. Use it at work, or at friends' houses. I do have a computer at home, and I actually build websites on it. But there's no Internet connection.

Rejected technology: microwave
Rejected since: fall of 2001
Reasoning: My wife isn't convinced it's safe, and I don't care enough about it to argue / protest
Exceptions: I have nothing against the microwave, although I accept that it breaks down some of the vitamins and whatnot in food. This is more of a passive rejection.

Rejected technology: wristwatch
Rejected since: forever?
Reasoning: I tried it, but it didn't take. Again, this isn't so much of a rejection as much as it is laziness
Exceptions: Had to wear a watch at work for a little while (as I had been late a bunch)

The following don't really address technology directly, but I'm trying to not buy sweatshop clothing, support local farmers (food, specifically beef), and intend to build a "green" house when it comes time for that.

-----------------------------

About the Amish, there are some good books about them. My understanding is that their rejection is of technologies that will disrupt their community. It's not an issue of "rejecting the future" or "being afraid of innovation." It's more of a concern that the technology in question will hurt the growth (not size, but richness) of their community.

I don't really reject any particular technology. I just only use what makes my life easier. For example, my laptop makes my life easier, desktops don't. All my computing is done on a laptop. I use a T1 at the office instead of broadband because I don't have a choice.

At home, I've fallen in love with my TiVo. One of my favorite things about it is that it's given me more time to read. I just record the shows I want to watch and save them up until I feel like watching them. In the meantime, I read.

I do tend to prefer using technologies that are less damaging to the environment, or that use resources most efficiently and I like to put my money where my mouth is. My choices, however, don't fit any kind of norm. For example, I am deeply offended by attempts to roll back the Green Revolution and will tend to choose products that incorporate Green Revolution technologies.

Oh... another example: I'm working to take my business paperless. Why kill trees when you don't have to. We're not quite there yet, but we've managed to reduce our paper use by about 3/4s over the past year. Paper has its place... but when you can keep records digitally and search on them, paper just comes up as being inefficient.

Don't use microwave, landline, watch/alarm clock (except for travel), fax, vcr, cd's.
Didn't have a TV when I lived in the states but have one now that I'm in Iceland and I watch one out of 2 available channels occasionally.

Don't own:

Printers because they're expensive and never seem to work when you need them.

Food processor and blender I find them too big to be useful. Presse puree are smaller and mix less air into the food. Small immersion blenders can be handy if the motor in them is strong enough to handle hummus.

Rice cooker don't need to have them unless you eat rice every day.

Desktop computers.

Dryers for the most part since they wear out your clothes, consume huge amounts of energy and nothing smells like laundry that's been hanging outside.

Hair dryers are bad for your hair.

Elliptical trainers and other running or walking machines. These go against my religion, just go outside for a walk.

Has anyone an opinion on steam cleaners?

I don't own a microwave. (1 year)
I do heat my food on a stove.
Why? It often tastes better, I have more room in my small kitchen, and I feel like it's healthier to re-heat on a stove.

I don't have a TV - VCR - DVD player. (1 year)
I do watch DVD movies on my computer.
Why? http://www2.localaccess.com/hardebeck/killtv2.htm

I don't have a traditional phone. (2 years)
I do use a cellphone.
Why? It's ch