Smart Phones and Ignorant People
What is your phone number? I don't know. I don't usually call myself!
With the latest technology I find that I have forgotten many important numbers, because they are all in my phone. But where is my phone?
Please someone call my phone so I can find it!
Does any of this sound familiar to you? I used to know where my phone was when it stayed in one place and was attached to the wall. I had all of my important phone numbers written down in a little book that I kept close to the phone.
When someone asked me out of the blue what my son or daughter's phone number was, I did not have to say, oh, I don't know because I left my phone at home.
I actually had at least a dozen phone numbers memorized, and could list them off very easily. Now that my children change phones about every other year, their phone numbers have also changed, and I can no longer remember them by heart.
The only phone number that has stayed consistent belongs to my father who still has a phone connected to the wall. As far as I know, my father has had the same phone number since I was four years old, and we first moved to a new town where he has lived ever since.
About every other day I have to ask my husband to call my phone so I can locate where in the house it is.
What do you think - do smart phones make you dumb?
Friends have suggested that I put all my phone numbers online, then wherever I am, I can look them up. I know I am already connected to my computer at the fingers for much of the day, but do I really want to be so reliant on it?
What if I am stranded? Even if I have synced all my phone contacts with my gmail contacts, what if I can't get quick computer access? What if I have an emergency? Would I even know how to call 9-1-1?
Not only that, but I am not sure about giving Google all my contact information. In trying to be "safe", I may actually be making myself a target for identity theft. What if all of my friends put my phone number on their gmail accounts too - even worse!
People trust too much the online sites - they are the same people who use "Facebook Friend Finder" and then give Facebook access to all of their Google, AOL, Yahoo, etc. contact information. We need to keep some things private, don't we?
What if someone is arrested? It is possible that a guy could spend several days in jail because he couldn't remember a phone number to call to help or bail him out (they do not allow access to a cellphone).
Another suggestion I received was to figure out who belongs to which phone number when I get my phone bill. What a hassle that is!
I heard a story about a guy whose girlfriend was upset that he did not memorize her phone number. Well it sounds like an unreasonable drama don't you think? They broke up, and that young lady felt justified thinking that not memorizing her phone number was a good reason to ditch a guy - that was back in the day - before smart phones. Now it might even pass for a reasonable excuse!
So, what about you? Do you know all your family member's cell phone numbers by heart? Or has your smart phone made you dumb too?
