"....and so it begins" Topic

I had an interesting conversation with my older brother this morning. He and his wife have their grandkids (my great-nephew and great-niece) over every other weekend, as the boy's birth father lives on the other side of Dallas, and has him every alternate weekend, too.

Well, it seems like that, at a month shy of his eighth birthday, he's discovered the world of iPods and cell phones. In all honesty, it's something that I wish he didn't know anything about, and wasn't so attracted to, like most of society is these days. His father is able to purchase these things for him, and even though I've yet to be a father myself, I can understand his desire to purchase them for his son.

I can't fault the father for wanting to buy these for his son, or my great-nephew for wanting them. I don't have them, myself, chiefly because I don't have that kind of disposable income to begin with, but my true reason is because I consider them a total waste of time and energy, not to mention another way people can further isolate themselves from each other and encourage selfishness.

Cell phones-texting, iPods, video games, wide-screen televisions – all this tech is, IMHO, way too much for society to handle in a responsible manner. It makes one stop and think how we, as a species, survived the discovery of splitting the atom, a generation later.

And so it begins….

I especially dislike texting devices. I see people texting while operating a motor vehicle every day.

And I thought I was the only person in the world without a cell phone. I've so far resisted the peer pressure that makes you feel like an inferior life form because you don't carry one. And my peer group is older adult professionals. I can't image the peer pressure in the teen and preteen age groups – it can only be worse.

As to the wide screen TV, well my bad eyesight greatly appreciates that invention.

David

People have lost the ability to listen.

When I can't answer my mobile, the machine tells the caller not to leave a message nor text me, I don't do those things, just try again later.

So they leave a mmessage, or text. Guess who don't get an answer?

I have a cell phone because it keeps me in touch with my friends for much cheaper than a landline would. It doesn't have texting.

I have an MP3 player so I can listen to books while I drive long distances.

I don't put it on in the car for short drives, that is what the radio or cd player is for. But for a 5 hour trek back home, it is nice to have something to listen to.

I don't have a TV at all though.

I don't have a cell phone either. I just don't need one. I was ready to get one last Fall and dump my landline as the cheapest cell plans cost less than my basic landline. Then I talked to my neighbors who all said cell coverage was excellent everywhere except in our condos! Not much use if I can't make a call from home.

I think the "damage" from cells and texting will be that generations who grow up with them will find it intolerable to be alone. I know a fair number of younger folks and they constantly have to inform and be informed about the activities and whereabouts of all their friends, regardless of the level of trivia. I think it ties in with the broader narcissism engendered by the parenting trends that make the child the center and sole purpose of the universe.

I agree with you about the iPod. I am old enough to have felt the same way about the original walkman. Who needs theme music every minute of their lives?

I find text convenient for communicating with my younger son mostly because I *can* defer dealing with it until I have a moment to read it and respond.

My son received a cell phone for Christmas. I was glad he had it when he went on a youth group ski trip this past Friday night in the midst of the deep freeze. I knew that if he got separated from the group, he could easily call for help. Of course, he never needed to, but the fact that he had the capability was good. That's a peace of mind I for one appreciate.

As for the i-Pod, with it I'm able to monitor what sort of music he buys and listens to and redirect him away from some of the worthless garbage that masquerades as music/humor on the local radio stations. As he gets older, his restrictions will lessen; but he's learning right now to be more discerning and cautious about what messages he's receiving. As a parent, I appreciate that.

Plus, the i-Pod has resulted in his discovery of Weird Al Yankovic. Now that's culture!

Oh, and my i-Pod shuffle will hold and play the entire three-movie soundtrack for The Lord of the RIngs. That will sustain me for hours of driving/painting/biking!

I and my family are pretty tech heavy. I am old enough not to see the point of texting (it amazes me how distrated people are when texting and they have no idea). I am also old enough not to feel that I need devices every moment. I spent a couple of hours working outside today since the temperature was up to the mid 20's f. One of my realizations this week was comparing myself and my students. On wednesday a scientific supply company was giving away everything you could haul on a cart. People showed up well before the 7am startand as I glanced at the collection of around 150 teachers, none of us were wearing headphones and listening to music. If this was my students, 50-80% would have been lost in their own world.

My oldest texts, but is actually talking about a smaller plan, since she doesn't seem to like it. Hers is the only phone we have that has text. We still use them for emergencies primarily, but it's nice to be able to use my own phone to call my wife from work rather than a work phone.

I have no TV, no cell phone, no ipod. I do have a nice digital camera, though, and use it narcissistically :) But then I don't mind being "alone" most of each day. In fact, I resent the telephone when I hear it go off; swearage usually leaks out. Often I ignore it if I am busy.

I'm actually still somewhat amazed that I am using my time right now to be on the INTERNET and tapping away at this post….

No cellphone, more like my icon.

No widescreen TV, although my wife will probably buy one eventually.

No MP3 player, they're still too small, and I can afford the music for one, anyway (crank audiophile, basically).

Obviously, I have a computer, though.
-Kle.

I hang with dmcllelan and am glad to know he is a kindred spirit. I am frequently treated with incredulity when I tell people not to call my cell phone # unless I am expecting their call as it's usually not turned on. i-pods, dingleberrys, texting and digital cameras freak me out! Computers are a love/hate relationship.

No cell phone here either. Wireless one at home,though.

I have a cell phone so that my loved ones can reach me outside the few hours I spend at home.
I have an mp3 player so that I can listen to podcasts while commuting, although I read instead if I can get a seat on the train. I also have an mp3 player to save other people. The number of loud idiots that I did not get into fights with thanks to in-ear headphones and Amon Amarth cannot easily be counted.
I agree, however, that we are not using this tech responsibly. Texting while driving should be punishable by rectal insertion of the phone first offence and the car second offence.

When you get Christmas phone calls from the Antarctic, or an email saying 'I've arrived on South Georgia, will be here for……then I will be….. for' – you get to appreciate modern technology.

I don't know why anyone has the need to be *connected"
24-7-365, except on a leap year, when there's an extra day of being connected.

The ironic thing is, these people have no inter-.personal communications skills, and, really, seem to have no use for people in the flesh at all.

JW

Well,

Cell-phone- have one, it's quad band so if I got lost in China I can call for help. Also can respond to medical emergencies if the kids need help (daughter has epilepsy). It's also helped the marriage by solving 'coordination failures'. I don't text while driving however.

MP3 Player- have one. You can't spend 2 weeks in China sustained on State TV and Chinese pop music. Combined with noise-cancelling headphones, they are a boon to the long distance traveller.

Digital cameras- I have 2 digital SLR's (and 3 film ones to be honest). Sometimes I even sell pictures.

Wide-screen TV- don't have one. Have a regular TV which we watch 2-4 programmes a week on. The need for big bucks on home entertainment isn't there.

Let's see – cell phone – check, big screen tv – check, ipod – no, blackberry [what's that?] – no. The parents-in-law bought us the big screen for the downstairs to impress the neighbors [very common in Poland], my cell phone was purchased by my wife to bug the s*%$ out of me or keep track of what I'm doing, take your pick.

I have a theory, namely, that cell phones are really a conspiracy by women to know where their husbands/boyfriends/significant others/booty calls are every minute of every day because when I don't answer my wife's call or sms, she says, "What were you doing that you couldn't pick up/sms me back?" and it's always accompanied by that 'you were doing something you shouldn't' look.

Frankly, I'm a neo-Luddite. These things are tools and normally the people that are so into technology are real TOOLS, who have the social skills of a wolverine high on angel dust. I don't get the younger generation and I echo my compatriots pain. Besides, all this crap [GPS included] takes all the excitement out of life – hell, half the point of going on a roadtrip is getting lost and ending up somewhere unknown – that's what my father did and that's what I plan to do with my family. I'm a man, not some damn computer who has to be 'wired' in every second of every day!

What a bunch of old crusties, glad to know Im not alone. :o)
L

I prefer to better allocate scarce financial resources, instead of being a slave to the small, tech devices.

Granted, for some, they have a degree of utility, but even if I did have the disposable cash, I'd rather spend it on a nice, tropical vacation somewhere, instead of on a monthly service plan, and a device that will be obsolete in 6 months, and probably can't hold a charge for more than a full hour of use.

I finally got a cell phone in 2010, cause I needed one. Having to rely on public transportation to get around, and payphones are non existant-here, anyway-and stores/drs/etc don't let you keep calling a busy line, I needed one. Too, I didn't have an answering machine or ID screen on my landline line. Guess how many calls I missed? Bummer…