OK, my friends, I feel I am being discriminated in this modern world. I am not talking about the "age thing." We all know that this does happen and we cannot do a thing about it, even though our voting clout is very high. No, I am talking about something else.

​I do not have a new phone, and it seems that if I want to download a coupon or respond to anything electronic these days, I must click on their app. I am totally computer literate and follow all types of websites, and I even help people with their laptops, computers, AND phones.

​But it seems that because I live on a fixed income that is not getting any larger, and I cannot afford this new fangled phone and its exorbitant monthly fees, I am not allowed to take advantage of everything out there.

When I contact people electronically with my laptop, they always want to text me back. I have to explain that I do not text, since I do not have that type of phone. Younger people do not even understand why.

​For example, I know a younger person who had to go to court because she was being sued for non-payment of her bills. When I asked her what amount she owed, it was $3000. I said why didn't she pay a little along the way and she could knock this balance out. Her reply was that she could not afford it. NOTE: She works - she has a job - she receives a paycheck - she gets raises and bonuses.

Well, after the court judgement she was told to pay $50 a month. She told me that she could do this because HER PHONE was on a plan that cost her $80 a month and it was expiring. She could get a cheaper plan at a local retailer and it would cost her only $40 per month. That, she said, would almost make the payment.

​I was in awe about the whole thing. In addition, she has a new car, goes shopping all the time, and she pays for that phone. Who knows how much the actual phone cost her, but that did not matter.

​So I feel that because I am a senior and live on a fixed income that I am being culled out of the way.  I want to move with the times but cannot because of lack of funds. I guess I have to accept this along with other "gifts" growing older gives.

I saw an interesting news item today about our constant use of electronics and the effects of this. The study revealed that constant checking of our phones, laptops, tablets, etc. destroys our ability to focus on long term tasks. The individual who reported this noticed that he could not retain what he read on a page of a book. And he loves reading books. He had to keep rereading that page. He said that now with all the electronic devises being used, the brain seems to deal only with info that is entertaining, stimulating and such. It does not process information that does not meet the new qualifications. He suggested that we “detox” for a week so we can regain our retention skills. Put away all the devices and do not look at them at all.

I have noticed this happening to me since I write on this website, check email a couple of times per day, and go to Facebook and Google several times per day. I do not own a new phone since I do not believe that I should be wired all day to someone else. I imagine I would become addicted to that kind of phone, and I do not want to have this happen. But I still overdo the electronic situation.

What really worries me is that our young are so focused on inane stuff that appears on their electronic devices. I understand that they check them far more than I do. They even wake up in the middle of the night to read texts that are sent. They are not expanding their brains, and they are not letting their brains and bodies rest.

Unfortunately, our young’s focus is not on the big world any longer but on the minutia that appears on their devices. Most of the communication is coded in a special short language for the small screen. I worry that they do not see the world around them. They walk by events and sights without seeing them because they are focused on that little screen.

They do not actually talk or interact with their friends in person – they have been seen at restaurants and other places together but looking at their phones. Sometimes they communicate with the person across the table by texts on phones. No personal interaction.

What can we do? I hope parents and people who are in charge of these wonderful young people of our future can persuade them to stop focusing so much on their devices. (Could a parent employ and enforce a rule to do so?) I know this will probably not happen because many of their parents or relatives are engaged in similar activities and are focused on minutia, also. I do so enjoy being with people who come to visit me,  go shopping with me or out to lunch with and they do not even check their phones while with me. Sadly, these people are very few and far between.

That is a sad statement about our new electronic world. Instead of these devices enhancing our lives, they have taken them over. They are limiting personal communication and conversation.
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I wonder if the time is coming when Robots and computers do the thinking and we just entertain ourselves. I hope I am gone by then.