What is a Tech Enthusiast? And Why I Consider Myself One.
Tech | Noun, informal, Defn: technology.
Enthusiast | Noun, Defn: a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject.
A Tech Enthusiast, according to PCMag.com, is a "...person who loves technology and uses as many digital devices as possible..."
I define myself as a Tech Enthusiast because the other terms related to this are Digerati and Cyberpunk. While I long to be a Cyberpunk, I don't claim to be an opportunistic hacker that can bet my livelihood on that skill set. And as for a Digerati, I'm not an elite techie or a thought leader in the industry. All I can do is leverage technology and ideas by standing on the shoulders of these giants.
I definitely fall into this category of a "techie." Still, my interest in technology goes far beyond the gadgets I can use or even afford. An excellent example of this would be the James Webb Telescope; as soon as it came up on my radar, I just had to understand how? How does this telescope see back in time?!
I won't bore you with my oversimplified understanding of wavelengths and infrared light because I'm sure you get the point. If you don't, think of it this way -- I'm always interested in learning how things work. I was that kid that opened his toys up to see what they were made of, then cried because he couldn't put them back together...
...that feeling of remorse has been a significant driver for my continual learning.
Despite not being able to afford a 10B dollar telescope, I still get my hands on devices that interest me, like the Eiger MPMan F10. This is not to be confused with a portable CD player. This particular device was the precursor to the iPod. But to use it, I had to ask someone to teach me how to download and install programs on our family PC. Then I had to ask how and where I could download MP3 files to transfer to my device. But once I did, that feeling of being able to leverage technology to get free music was fantastic! This was the first time I recognized the value of connecting with people through the internet. Ever since then, I've been hooked on technology.
I'm deeply passionate and knowledgeable about the tools and technologies I use, from how a switch can turn on a light to why captchas even exist. I love how machine learning and big data transform the type of content we produce and consume. And I'm enthusiastic about the growth of technology and its potential to be a source of opportunity for people living in economically poor regions like mine, the Philippines.
As Remote First continues to grow in popularity, it's fantastic to see the changes from 2018 to 2022. I see more companies willing to allocate resources to evaluate and recognize global talent, their role, and the unique circumstances that could make or break their performance. These companies apply equitable solutions for their international talent recruiting process, and the opportunities are fantastic.
And this is why I call myself a tech enthusiast. I want to help people in my community take advantage of fantastic opportunities like I have. I know I can give them value by creating content that would help them learn the foundational skills they need to communicate online. People like my aunt, who are retiring, can do the tasks but would most likely be overwhelmed by technology like Skype, Slack, and the cloud. But with some guidance, support, and a lot of enthusiasm! I'm confident that she and many others will appreciate technology- not just for its endless entertainment but also for its economic advantage.
It's more apparent in the Philippines than it was to me in Canada that many of us will get different opportunities. Because of that, whenever I learn something new that I know can help someone else, I make time to teach them. Like the free specialty coffee events I used to host with partners and friends, I plan to host events soon, focusing on remote work. I'm excited about the business opportunities that remote work can bring to my community and local economy. I want to create enthusiasm and break the stereotypes that the only online jobs out there are reserved for cheap employers looking to reduce labor costs. There are good jobs for talented individuals willing to invest time and work into their online careers. And I want to help people in my community take advantage of these opportunities and become tech enthusiasts.
