After I Turned Two, It All Went Downhill

(Drawing from instantfp.co.uk)

The journal Psychological Science reports on experiments that study status quo bias. [bold added]

they got people to rate technologies that appeared at different times, from audiotape cassettes and video recorders to email and cell phones. There was a sharp difference between technologies that appeared before or after people were 2 years old, which is around the time we make our first lasting memories. People thought that technologies that appeared later were more harmful.

One man's status quo bias is another woman's reasonable caution.

I had no doubts about getting my own color television in 1975; my only problem was being able to afford one.

After hearing about the risks of microwave radiation, I was one of the slow adapters to microwave ovens in the 1970's.

I was also suspicious of the hype behind compact fluorescent bulbs that would stop the ice caps from melting, suspicions that were later justified because of potential mercury poisoning.

So let the risk-seekers try out the new stuff. I love scientific progress. Life is much more advanced technologically than when I was two, but if I have to wait a couple of years for the bugs to be ironed out, fine by me.