In my recent rash of book reading, I finished 24 and Philosophy. One of the essays–”How the Cell Phone Changed the World and Made 24″–details the effect that modern technology has in our harried lives.
One of the more interesting quotes from the essay was:
“We understand the necessity of schizophrenia, quadrophenia, or
whatever it takes to get you through the night. And we only understand
this because we have the necessary accessory to the splintered
life, the cell phone.The phone that keeps us together. Keeps our illusions tabulated.
Keeps our data, our dates, our birthdays, our important memos, our
urgent must-do lists. Keeps us amused with games in between all that
seriousness.”
So, for all of the benefits that modern technology–and the cell phone–have brought us, it has also made our lives more splintered. We are always expected to be available at all times. We have indeed made a Faustian bargain with these little things we use every day.
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Last year while hiking on a difficult trail in Utah with a bunch of my hiking buddies I received a call on my cell phone from a friend back home. I explained to the friend that I was not in a position to chat but she insisted that she had an emergency (self created crisis) and needed my immediate attention. My hiking friends seemed irritated but I did give the lady more than a few minutes of my time that day to calm her down. About a month later I was speaking on the phone with that same high-maintenance friend and she said that she had a big problem with the way I handled that phone call. She was very upset that I didn’t put down my pack, stop the hike and attend to her needs in much greater detail.
I decided that minute I no longer needed a cell phone. I’ve been much happier and less stressed since.
Last year while hiking on a difficult trail in Utah with a bunch of my hiking buddies I received a call on my cell phone from a friend back home. I explained to the friend that I was not in a position to chat but she insisted that she had an emergency (self created crisis) and needed my immediate attention. My hiking friends seemed irritated but I did give the lady more than a few minutes of my time that day to calm her down. About a month later I was speaking on the phone with that same high-maintenance friend and she said that she had a big problem with the way I handled that phone call. She was very upset that I didn’t put down my pack, stop the hike and attend to her needs in much greater detail.
I decided that minute I no longer needed a cell phone. I’ve been much happier and less stressed since.
I have a phone (although it’s in no way “smart”), but I answer it on my terms. If leaving a message for me isn’t enough so I can respond at my leisure then that call is even less important than I thought.
I have a phone (although it’s in no way “smart”), but I answer it on my terms. If leaving a message for me isn’t enough so I can respond at my leisure then that call is even less important than I thought.
@SC: I have a couple of friends and family members who call and never leave voicemail. I never know if the call was potentially an emergency one, and in one case, it is not easy to get back in touch with that family member. It’s kind of frustrating, actually. I am in complete agreement, though, on the need to return someone’s call if they do not leave a voicemail.
I have become attached to SMS/text messages, though. I find in some cases it is easier to get information and quick information from folks than phone calls.
@SC: I have a couple of friends and family members who call and never leave voicemail. I never know if the call was potentially an emergency one, and in one case, it is not easy to get back in touch with that family member. It’s kind of frustrating, actually. I am in complete agreement, though, on the need to return someone’s call if they do not leave a voicemail.
I have become attached to SMS/text messages, though. I find in some cases it is easier to get information and quick information from folks than phone calls.
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