Today I was in a meeting with my boss (the one who STILL texts me after I've been cell-phoneless 2 months), and we were discussing giving things up. She's thinking about giving up her Facebook account, and the first step in this process is crafting the explanation that she'll be dishing out to people when they exclaim, "You don't have a Facebook!?"
We had an intense heart-to-heart about our motives, and discussed what examples we would give in order to back them. This conversation went on for a good part of the hour, and I quite enjoyed the revelations and conclusions that we made. Sarah really helped me clarify why it is that I don't/won't have a cell phone for the next year. However, I just want to say before I talk more about these reasons, that in retrospect, this conversation was ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
Okay... My conversation with Sarah was not ridiculous, but the fact that we feel like we have to explain ourselves because people think we are crazy is DEFINITELY silly. Seriously people, there was a time without cell phones (I can just imagine the dumbfounded look on some young teenager's face as they read this... "Whaaaaaaat?").
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| What a cutie! (image courtesy of Google Images) |
Yes children, it's true. There was once a day, in this land we call America, when people made plans and communicated without the assistance of the portable cellular device. This is also true of Facebook, and the fact that people can no longer comprehend a life without these things is sad. My boss and I should not have to explain ourselves just because we choose to forgo these modern indulgences.
The idea of communication via interaction brings me back to the reasons that prompted me into this challenge. Yes, I was annoyed by people who thought they had me at their beckons call 24/7. Yes, I was over the concept of shelling out the cash for a cell phone. But there is more behind this madness, a method... a motive (or maybe a few of them).
Bonding is something that occurs when you spend time with someone. You need to be engaged in your time with that person, and not engaged in other things while you are with them. If you are not paying attention to the person you are with, then what is the point of spending time with them?
Sarah told me the story of when she went out to dinner with some of her friends, and one of those friends was poking away at her smart phone the whole time. Finally, Sarah asked what this girl was up to, and the girl explained that she was updating her Facebook location, and tagging the girls at dinner in it.
Okay, first of all that location tracking thing on Facebook is freakin creepy. If someone wanted to murder you and didn't know where you were, they could just check Facebook, and there you go (friends tagged with you are a serial killer bonus)!
Secondly, if you are out with friend, be out with friends. You are negating the purpose of your stupid Facebook update by staying on Facebook the whole time. By being disengaged from the situation, you have taken away it's significance in real life.
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| Facebook addictiions can kill.... a social life. |
That's my rant against the Facebook situation, but I still love that crazy social network, and have no intention of getting rid of mine. So, on to the cell phone rant.
I want to talk about how cell phones make people irresponsible. There used to be this concept called "being on time." It was polite to be on time for things like meeting with friends, meetings for work, classes. Now, with one quick text, it is becoming more socially acceptable to be late.
Being late is not okay. In my fathers house, "10 minutes early is early, 5 minutes early is on time, and on time is late!" When you set a time to meet with someone (friend, boss, professor) you are making a commitment to be at the specified place at that time. If you are not there at that time, you are breaking your commitment.
This is not excused by a text or quick call saying, "I'm running a few minutes late." YOU ARE STILL LATE! It doesn't matter if you warn the person or not. Although it is polite to give a warning, it should always be accompanied with an apology. Take responsibility for your actions. Also, totally standing someone up... not cool.
Anyway, probably have a ton more to say, but I'm tired. I'm going to bed. My cell phone (which I'll admit I had been using as an alarm clock) finally kicked the bucket, and the charger is broken. So, I have invested in a real alarm clock - something I've only read about in books (wait... what's a book?). The e-Reader rant is something for a whole other day. Hahaha.
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