Curmudgeon, meaning a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. A lot of people don’t like when that word is applied to them, but in my experience, it’s definitely applicable to a lot of the people complaining about today’s technology and romanticizing what we had in the past.

Modern videogaming and computing is absolutely amazing, full stop. It’s not perfect – far from it – but it sure as heck wasn’t perfect at any other time either. The only people who don’t want to accept that are stuck in the past and/or are uncomfortable moving forward with the times because it scares them in some profound way. The latter is certainly not uncommon, although one would hope it takes place in the latter stages of life rather than at the so-called mid-point of life.

I too love the relative simplicity of most past videogames and computers, and genuinely find their regular use cathartic in many ways. However, I sure as heck won’t diss – or worse, not use – the new stuff in the process. It’s like the equivalent of telling our childhood selves from the 1970s/1980s that you don’t want to use the current technology of that time because the older technology of the analog world is so much better in so many ways. It just goes against everything I think the collective we experienced for a time — the unbridled joy of using or getting shiny new videogames and computers.

Sadly, some of us grew out of this sense of wonder, turning into the curmudgeons – there’s that word again – who make up a not insignificant, and vocal, minority of the readership of site’s like this one, Website or social media forums, or any of the countless other places such enthusiasts like to congregate.

Of course, modern technology can be scary. We need to stay on top of our privacy, make sure our information doesn’t get stolen, and fend off trolls, who are empowered by their anonymity and seemingly feed off making the Internet miserable for the rest of us.

As stated earlier, modern technology is also undeniably wonderful. It’s sometimes hard to realize that because it’s natural to become a bit jaded. If you think about it, however, wouldn’t your younger self be in sci-fi-like awe if you could relay that in 2018 you’re carrying around an always-connected, pocket-friendly device with super computing powers and access to virtually unlimited media and knowledge? You bet, and, as previous articles at Armchair Arcade have shown, you can even do that from that same device at destinations like 888 slots.

And in terms of still being wowed by technology like we were wowed at almost every corner several decades back? It’s there if you know where to look for it. The best example perhaps is VR, or virtual reality. Everyone who has put on my PlayStation VR or HTC Vive headsets (room-scale for the win!) has been blown away. And yes, that includes me, a person who’s literally been there and done that with digital technology for most of my 45 years.

To put it simply, if you actively avoid modern technology, it’s probably not us who are in the “wrong,” but you. Modern technology can take you to heights never before possible. As long as you understand and take reasonable precautions against the risks when you dive in, I’m sure your younger self would unequivocally agree.