0

Does a word exist that describes someone who is either

a) resistant to,

b) afraid of,

or

c) refuses to learn

new technology?

tchrist
  • 134,759
user463542
  • 11
  • 5
    Are you looking for something other than Luddite? Please give an example sentence where you'd use this term – Jim Mack Sep 10 '22 at 12:40
  • @ermanen I don't think it is a duplicate. This is about intentional resistance regardless of computer illiteracy... – fev Sep 10 '22 at 13:17
  • 2
    For a) there is Luddite. For b) there is technophobe. For c) there is a previous question: What would you call a person who doesn't want to learn anything new? – Weather Vane Sep 10 '22 at 14:55
  • 1
    Just because it's new doesn't mean it's better; or that trashing years of wisdom and experience using tech that is paid for is a good idea. I happen to like '95 Chevy pickups because I've figured them out now after a million miles. So you may want to clarify your question, otherwise I'm going with healthy skepticism. I'm content to let others prove the new stuff, and will check back in 20 years to see how it's going. After all, "No one in this world has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people" - H.L. Mencken – Phil Sweet Sep 10 '22 at 19:50
  • 1
    As a late adopter myself, I'm no fan of helping critics put others down for waiting. Many wise folks look at technology with built-in flaws and say call me when 2.0 hits: phonographs that destroy the records they play, portable phones that require bicep curls, electric lawn mowers that mow their own chord once a year (yeah). – Yosef Baskin Sep 11 '22 at 01:32
  • Why do you want to call people mean names? – tchrist Sep 11 '22 at 16:06
  • Funny how nobody ever shows up here asking for our help in saying something *nice* about somebody else. Instead it's always about saying horrible things about something we disapprove of, even though this has never required fancy words to sting the worst. – tchrist Dec 16 '23 at 04:51

1 Answers1

6

For someone who is strongly resistant to new technology, use "luddite." For someone who is resistant, but not strongly, to new technology, use "old-fashioned." This also includes someone who refuses to learn how to use new technology. For someone who is afraid of new technology, use "technophobic."

Benjamin Harman
  • 10,508
TheAwesomeAtom
  • 679
  • 1
    It's a small point, and I upvoted, but I think to be a real Luddite you should be opposed to new technology for everybody, not just yourself. I wouldn't call even the Amish "Luddites" – DJClayworth Sep 11 '22 at 00:51
  • Fair enough, but this how I have seen Luddite used in real life – TheAwesomeAtom Sep 12 '22 at 05:33