What’s that bit? If it was invented before you were born, it’s just a part of the natural order; if it was invented while you were a kid it’s new and exciting, and if it was invented after you grew up it’s the tool of the devil?
My Dad was born in 1928. I asked him once what modern technological advancement impressed him the most, and he said television. He said it still seemed like “magic”, even though he knew how it worked.
This actually reminds me of an old novel, “The Murder League”, in which included a computer that was able to accurately predict the number of murders in a city to one death. This was written back when computers were programmed with punch-cards and used reel to reel tape as a storage medium.
My husband (we’re Gen Xers) was in elementary school when the “Wargames” movie came out in the early 80s. He wrote a program on one of their rudimentary computers that convinced his teacher he had hacked into the local bank. I still find this hilarious.
There was no phone line. He told her he was doing it through the electrical outlet. The interface was him typing gibberish and he had it reply back “Hello, [Grump’s Future Husband]!” She called his mom: “I know he did it. I saw him do it.” His sister was also in the classroom—she thought he’d done it, and she was proud.
His Mom, who of course knows him all too well, calmly said, “He figured out he could convince you.” He walked out of the school grinning like a million bucks. Then he saw his mom standing on the school grounds with her hands on her hips, and he deflated quickly.
He says now, “It never occurred to me that the teacher would TATTLE on me.”
I reember a movie about a boy who was a computer wizard, but the computer was more like a universal remote, and he could manipulate any kind of things with it, in ways that are not really possible even now. Computers really were regarded as magic back then when very few really had them. That movie was definitely a B-class movie, when video clubs were starting and getting any flick they could find to rent.
Movies about computers were silly back then, but they were fun. Most people did not have a home computer yet so they were kind of mysterious and there was no limit to what people thought they could do. I remember “Electric Dreams” where this guy buys a computer and it becomes sentient and falls in love with his girlfriend, and of course there was WarGames, still one of my favorite movies.
Averagemoe over 3 years ago
Instead of the usual platitudes to nostalgia, how about thinkpeices about where we draw the line between tools and technology.
dvandom over 3 years ago
What’s that bit? If it was invented before you were born, it’s just a part of the natural order; if it was invented while you were a kid it’s new and exciting, and if it was invented after you grew up it’s the tool of the devil?
Antiyonder over 3 years ago
Well that sounds like a you problem Phoebe. Use your imagination:-D.
codycab over 3 years ago
“AM I A JOKE TO YOU?!”
TheBetterYouTuberNamedLogan over 3 years ago
People upload and read comics on the internet too. LAME.
Templo S.U.D. over 3 years ago
Does Phoebe even have any imagination?
droosan Premium Member over 3 years ago
Superman III .. TBH, I thought that part was stupid, back then.
.. but TBF — while it did have a few good scenes — most of that movie was stupid.
no offense meant to Phoebe’s dad (or anyone else who enjoyed it).
GravShire over 3 years ago
So she wants to be laughably mistaken about something?
Blitzy reads comics! over 3 years ago
Nostalgia is so yesterday…
boneroller42 over 3 years ago
I kinda wonder that movie it is. I certainly don’t remember even hearing about it.
iggyman over 3 years ago
Imagination, one’s greatest gift!
sueb1863 over 3 years ago
My Dad was born in 1928. I asked him once what modern technological advancement impressed him the most, and he said television. He said it still seemed like “magic”, even though he knew how it worked.
Darwinskeeper over 3 years ago
This actually reminds me of an old novel, “The Murder League”, in which included a computer that was able to accurately predict the number of murders in a city to one death. This was written back when computers were programmed with punch-cards and used reel to reel tape as a storage medium.
Jungle Empress over 3 years ago
Real magic and pretend magic are two very different things!
rpmurray over 3 years ago
Does this mean Marigold is not able to change the weather for the whole world?
Decepticomic over 3 years ago
What about the magic of reading?
Pfft!
animemom50 over 3 years ago
What I want to know is what movie is she looking at?
Granwy over 3 years ago
“I don’t get to use my imagination.” — But Dana does!
Thinkingblade over 3 years ago
That is kind of a next level thought that Marigold actually being an understandable magic takes the fun out of magic.
jerrica.benton333 over 3 years ago
C’mon, Dana Simpson… you’ve heard of this little thing called “drones” haven’t you? I’m pretty sure the fancy ones can change the weather…
(but sometimes they change it to lightning… yikes!)
raybarb44 over 3 years ago
Read a Harry Potter Book……
ladywyntre over 3 years ago
My husband (we’re Gen Xers) was in elementary school when the “Wargames” movie came out in the early 80s. He wrote a program on one of their rudimentary computers that convinced his teacher he had hacked into the local bank. I still find this hilarious.
There was no phone line. He told her he was doing it through the electrical outlet. The interface was him typing gibberish and he had it reply back “Hello, [Grump’s Future Husband]!” She called his mom: “I know he did it. I saw him do it.” His sister was also in the classroom—she thought he’d done it, and she was proud.
His Mom, who of course knows him all too well, calmly said, “He figured out he could convince you.” He walked out of the school grinning like a million bucks. Then he saw his mom standing on the school grounds with her hands on her hips, and he deflated quickly.
He says now, “It never occurred to me that the teacher would TATTLE on me.”
Monster Hesh over 3 years ago
Oh, Phoebe, just wait until Dad tells you about TRON.
nailer Premium Member over 3 years ago
I reember a movie about a boy who was a computer wizard, but the computer was more like a universal remote, and he could manipulate any kind of things with it, in ways that are not really possible even now. Computers really were regarded as magic back then when very few really had them. That movie was definitely a B-class movie, when video clubs were starting and getting any flick they could find to rent.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 3 years ago
Magick is not what you do on stage it is manipulation of the exocosm by other scientific means. Magick is what Magus Alistair Crowley taught.
glowing-steak32 over 3 years ago
Quit taking your magical talking unicorn for granted, kiddo.
Thrackerzod over 3 years ago
Movies about computers were silly back then, but they were fun. Most people did not have a home computer yet so they were kind of mysterious and there was no limit to what people thought they could do. I remember “Electric Dreams” where this guy buys a computer and it becomes sentient and falls in love with his girlfriend, and of course there was WarGames, still one of my favorite movies.
InquireWithin over 3 years ago
“Hey, maybe if we hook these electrodes up to a Barbie doll during a thunderstorm while hacking into a defense department supercomputer…”