Better Late Than Never— Sometimes

I was up-to-date in my profession, always incorporating new ideas in my research and writing. But lately I have realized that I am slow in incorporating some new products or inventions into my life.

There is a theory that categorizes people in terms of how quickly they accept or embrace new technology or new ideas. It is called the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and it identifies people as early adopters (called innovators) or late adopters (called laggards), with most people falling in-between those categories.

For some things I am a late adopter, and I am ok with that for several reasons:

Familiar methods can work well

Bill-paying: I pay most of my bills the old-fashioned way, by writing checks and mailing them, using envelopes and stamps. It gives me some control over when the funds might be withdrawn from my account (as opposed to automatic withdrawals). It also works well for my husband and I when we reconcile our account balances. Hopefully, it will also help to keep post offices open.

Stemless wine glasses: I have always enjoyed cradling the stem of a wine glass as I drink my wine. Why did they take the stem away? Some believe it is to make wine-drinking more casual—but I don’t want it to be casual. I am fine keeping wine-drinking as a special activity, denoted by using a stemmed wine glass. When I want it to be casual, I will use a water glass or juice glass, perhaps with a straw.

Newspapers: I get the NY Times delivered every day. I know that my iphone can provide more current news headlines, but I enjoy reading the paper with my breakfast, reviewing in-depth materials on topics of interest, and doing the crossword puzzle. On a bus or train I am often the only one reading a newspaper, but still take pride in my newspaper folding/refolding skills that enable me to keep the paper neat as I go through the sections. And I am not interrupted with phone messages while I read.

Waiting to see if the innovation isn’t just a fad

Nude cut-out cold shoulders: These are blouses, sweaters, or tops of dresses, that are cut-out in the shoulders. I liked them when they first came out, especially for summer wear, and purchased several tops in this style. They seem to have gone out of fashion, and now hang in my closet, next to other items no longer in style. I will be more of a laggard in purchasing new styles.

Innovations so widely adopted that there’s a loss of individuality

The North Face black short winter jacket: I loved my black jacket and its logo. But when I saw so many other jackets with “The North Face” – clad people on the street, and had trouble finding my jacket at the end of parties—where so many similar ones were in the coat rack—I began wearing it less often. I understood the term “uniform” in a new way.

Time-saving innovations that may not be good for me

On-line shopping: I must admit, I don’t like it. Clothes are often sized differently, and I need to see how something looks on me before buying it. This will save me time in doing returns. In terms of food purchases, I like to touch, and sometimes squeeze (mainly fruits) the food I buy. Also, if I got everything on line and delivered, I may never need to go out of my home—not good in terms of exercise needs. So, I will continue to wait in line, rather than go on line, when I do my shopping.

My Conclusions

These innovations have been taken up by many, if not most, of the U.S. population and of the people I know.  I am sure I will be an early adopter of some innovations, but continue to be a laggard in others. I will try to make these decisions based on my own needs and desires, rather than what is fashionable or expected. But since the term “laggard” has negative connotation I will find a substitute, maybe “thoughtful chooser.”