Why it is okay to be a ‘Tech Luddite’ in 2024!

Why This Matters

Let’s set the scene. You sit at your desk, mug of tea in hand, staring blankly at a computer screen. The cursor blinks expectantly. It all feels a bit like looking at an alien language, right? Your mind swirls with the worry that you’ve come to this party a bit late and missed the instructions for how to join in. If you’ve ever quietly thought, “I’m hopeless with computers,” you’re far from alone.

In 2024, digital skills have shifted from “nice to have” to essential life skills. They can be as essential as knowing how to change a tyre or boil an egg. You can’t bank, pay bills, or keep up with what your family is up to without venturing onto a device at some point. For small business owners, freelancers, or anyone flirting with modern employment, the expectation is even greater. And yet, loads of us feel left behind by it all.

I see the fallout every week, especially among those who didn’t grow up with a screen in every room. Frustration sets in. Businesses lose time. Opportunities are missed. The most discouraging effect is that many folks decide, before they even start, that “this tech stuff is just not for me.”

But let me share something from years of fieldwork and a parade of client confessions: It is perfectly all right—even healthy—to be sceptical. You’re allowed to feel nervous or even resistant. There is no shame in starting from scratch, no matter your age or background. The fear of computers wastes time, saps your confidence, and can even cost you money as you avoid tasks that would, ultimately, make life simpler. What matters is how you face it.

If you've been putting off learning new tech or think you’ve simply missed the boat, this article will show you that your worries are far more common and conquerable than you think.

Common Pitfalls

Despite technology’s promise to make life easier, there are a few potholes most beginners hit, and it tends to happen more than once.

Warning sign #1: The panic spiral.
It usually starts after one too many failed attempts to “just send an email”—then suddenly everything seems complicated. This anxiety grows into a brick wall, blocking you from trying again.

Warning sign #2: The ‘I’m too old for this’ myth.
Tech, some say, is a young person’s game. Rubbish. This is less about years on the clock and more about the mindset you bring.

Warning sign #3: The ‘I’m a lost cause’ declaration.
Nothing halts progress like convincing yourself there’s a secret club for people who “just get it,” and that membership has closed.

Warning sign #4: Fear of looking silly.
Nobody wants to ask ‘stupid’ questions. But guess what? We all start by not knowing. In fact, the questions you’re afraid to ask are the ones everyone else is quietly Googling late at night.

False economy: Stuck in the slow lane.
Some spend hours doing things the “old way,” because the digital shortcut seems too intimidating. Ironically, this burns more time and causes more headaches in the long run.

Fortunately, each of these ruts is entirely fixable, and you will not self-destruct your family’s computer with a misplaced click.

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1: Own Where You’re Starting and Say It Out Loud

Before you start learning, admit where you stand without apology. Don’t measure yourself against teenagers glued to a screen or the neighbour’s whiz-kid, but against your own experience. Do you know how to turn on a computer? Wonderful. Do you forget your passwords ten times a day? That puts you in good company.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re brand new or have dabbled and found it confusing. What matters is you start with the basics and build gradually.

Practical example: Write down three things you’d genuinely like to do on a computer or phone this year. It could be as simple as video calling your grandkids or moving your accounts paper-free. Those become your learning goals.

Step 2: Approach ‘Mistakes’ As Pitstops, Not Roadblocks

It’s tempting to believe every click is a potential disaster. (“What if I break it? What if I lose everything?”) One thing I’ve learned from two decades in tech: even the experts get stuck. If there were a label on my own forehead, it would read, “Powered by Trial and Error.”

You will have minor setbacks. Something won’t work right, or a button will vanish (they’re slippery, those buttons). When problems crop up, you’re not failing; the system is simply revealing what you do and don’t know yet.

Practical example: The first time I built a website, I managed to scramble the whole front page with one accidental key press. Took me a weekend to fix. But I learned more from that mess than from a month’s worth of tutorials.

Step 3: Focus on Just One New Thing at a Time

You know that feeling at the supermarket, staring down an endless aisle of biscuits, paralysed by choice? Learning technology can feel the same. There are dozens of apps, platforms, and shiny tools vying for attention. Trying everything at once often results in mental indigestion.

Ignore the ‘top 20 skills’ lists and stick to learning just one thing at a time. Want to video call on WhatsApp? Great. Master that. Fancy trimming photos? Set up a folder and try editing a couple of snaps. Leave the rest for another week.

Practical example: Create a cheat sheet. Write down the steps for your chosen task—logging in, opening an app, uploading a photo—in your own words, and pin it above your desk.

Step 4: Recruit Your Champions and Ignore the Show-Offs

Every learning journey is easier with guides. This could be a tech-savvy friend, local community class, or even an online forum where people genuinely help each other. The best allies don’t patronise or drown you in jargon. They translate from geek to human, and celebrate your wins with you.

Ignore anyone who rolls their eyes or acts as if it’s all beneath them. These are not your people. Seek out those who remember what it’s like to be a beginner.

Practical example: My own dad, a farmer with zero interest in computers, avoided smartphones for years. He finally caved when his ancient mobile gave up the ghost. After a few months of muttered curses and dogged persistence, he’s now thumbing through YouTube videos of rare tractors with the best of them. The secret wasn’t in the gadget. Instead, his willingness to ask for (and accept) the right help made the difference.

Step 5: Keep Curiosity Alive Even When You’d Rather Chuck It Out The Window

The Luddites of the 1800s didn’t hate machines. They feared being left behind by progress that made their hard-won skills useless overnight. That’s natural. But progress didn’t stop, and it won’t now. The modern world isn’t waiting, but it will meet you halfway if you stay open-minded.

Curiosity is your best defence against falling behind. Ask questions. Press buttons. Make more mistakes. Sometimes, the reason something doesn’t work leads to discovering a better way of doing things.

Practical example: If you mess something up, don’t just close the lid and despair. Write down what happened (“Pressed X, got this odd error”) and try searching online. Chances are, a thousand others have faced the same problem and left a breadcrumb trail of answers.

What Most People Miss

Something I wish I’d been told at the start: You do not have to love technology to make it work for you. The natural resistance you feel is, in many ways, a sign of caring. You want your time back, you want to stay connected, and, above all, you don’t fancy the world leaving you behind.

Chasing every new app or fretting over lost ground is not the aim. The real goal is to become a bit more capable each month, sticking with it at your own pace no matter what. As Churchill possibly said (but I still love it): “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

You are never too old to pick up a new trick. If my seventy-two-year-old father can navigate Facebook groups for vintage Massey Fergusons, you can absolutely figure out online banking or email newsletters.

The Bigger Picture

When you finally banish the fear of technology, you break through a wall. Tasks that once took all morning—posting a letter, ringing the bank, queuing up to pay a bill—now shrink to a few clicks. You buy back your own time. You reconnect with far-flung friends. Maybe, if you’re running a business, you land new customers or discover smarter, quicker ways to do what you’ve always done.

There is also another, subtler win. You become the kind of person who adapts, who learns and grows, whatever the world throws up next. This is not something technology can take away; it is the quality that makes you brilliantly human.

Jargon Buster: Your Plain-English Guide

Operating System: The main software that runs your computer, phone, or tablet. Think of it as the manager keeping everything working. For example: Windows, macOS, Android, and so on.

Software: The apps or programmes you use to do jobs, from internet browsing to word processing to video calls.

Tech-Savvy: Someone who knows their way around digital tools. Not a genius, just confident.

Tutorial: Step-by-step guides (written, video, or interactive) to walk you through a task.

Cloud: Storage on the internet, not in the sky (sadly), for your files and photos.

Username/Password: Your digital key to the house. Don’t lose it, and don’t use the same key everywhere.

Troubleshooting: Real FAQs

Q: I’m scared I’ll break something if I press the wrong button. Should I leave it alone?
A: Unless you pour tea into the laptop, it’s very hard to break anything with a single click. If in doubt, ask a friend or search online. There are plenty of people offering good advice (and bad jokes) online.

Q: Am I just too old to start learning computers?
A: Absolutely not. Age means experience and perspective. The only thing age can limit is how much you care about what strangers think when you ask questions—use that to your advantage!

Q: What if I get stuck or forget what I’ve learned?
A: That’s normal. Most techies live by Google searches and Post-it notes. Keep your own notes, and revisit them when needed. Routine breeds memory.

Q: All these passwords drive me bonkers! Tips?
A: Use a password manager (bit complicated at first, then an absolute sanity-saver) or keep a written password book hidden somewhere safe.

Q: Is social media really worth bothering with?
A: Only if it brings value, such as staying connected with family, friends, or business. If it causes more stress than joy, skip it. Your life, your rules.

Wrap-Up

To put it simply: There's nothing wrong with questioning or even resisting new technology. The so-called Luddites were simply protecting what they valued. But if you want life to stay simple and connected in today’s world, a little digital know-how is a real asset.

Start with small goals. Don’t fear getting things wrong. Seek help from people who leave jargon at the door. Most importantly, stay curious, no matter your age or experience.

I’ve watched many people who once considered themselves "tech Luddites" become confident with technology—my own family included. The benefits are real, from more free time to new friendships (and, occasionally, more photos of tractors than you ever wanted).

The journey is less lonely than you might expect. If you want support, good company, or a plain-English guide without the eye-rolling, join our community. We’re launching our new Computers for Luddites course soon and offer plenty of free resources to get you started.

“Want more helpful systems like this? Join Pixelhaze Academy for free at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership.”

See you online or wherever you’re most comfortable.

Elwyn Davies
Founder, Pixelhaze Academy