I somehow managed to make and keep dates with friends in high school and college without mobile phones. Meaning, we’d decide a place and time to meet and then would, without texts like: “on my way” or “5 minutes behind.” And without calling and saying, “I’m wearing a blue top … oh, I see you! I see you! I’m waving.” Somehow, we managed to do it without all that.
Let that sink in for a moment. It’s weird, isn’t it?
We rode places together often, because we didn’t live too far from one another in my hometown or college campus, so it was easy to pick someone up on the way to get a snow cone. Oh and the time we had to kill. That’s what I miss most.
I wonder what it was like living and working in a big city like New York before mobile phones, when you were meeting people from different parts of the city and had a schedule to keep. If you said you were meeting for lunch at noon you were meeting for lunch at noon. And if for some reason you couldn’t, perhaps you’d stop and use a pay phone to call the restaurant, and the maître d’ would go to the table and tell your friend you weren’t going to make it, and your friend would be sad but meet someone interesting at the next table. That’s how I think things happened, but I might be romanticizing from movies. I did throw a maître d’ in there just because it’s a French word. Perhaps one of my readers can share what that it was like to live in a big city before mobile phones.
I heard a guy on NPR talking about newspapers. He said this: use your imagination and pretend newspapers never existed. All along you’ve been getting your news like you do today—through alerts on your iPhone or Twitter or news websites and TV. Now, he said, imagine someone told you there was this brand new service. Each morning, a person would hand deliver a freshly printed paper with the latest news to your doorstep. Just for you. One you could hold in your hand. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? I’ve told a few people this and they’ve scoffed at this man’s view, but I tend to agree with him. It does sound like a luxury. A novelty. But then, I find the size and fold of newspapers awkward so perhaps that could be revisited.
Here’s another question for you, one you really must think about before answering, and you really must answer, even if not on this blog. It’s far-fetched. My husband is used to me creating elaborate scenarios then asking him what he’d do. It might hurt a little the first time if you’re not used to it, though.
So, someone comes to you, someone really powerful, but not God because I don’t want the implications of that to affect your answer. And this person says: You have the power right now to snap your fingers and make it so that mobile phones were never invented. Would you do it? Here are my stipulations: this won’t affect people’s jobs or the economy or anything like that. It’s not a moral question. Just a question of how life was before mobile phones and how it is now and which you’d choose. That’s what I’m curious about.
Now, same question for Facebook.
Isn’t this fun? Next time I see you we’ll have beers and discuss more.
I’ve lived in that technology deprived environment! In the end, it’s a question of progress vs. standing still, I think. We’re safer with mobile phones and they provide opportunities we didn’t have. Many of the opportunities are frivolous and just plain fun. One of the opportunities we ALWAYS have is to turn the mobile phone off. I’ve done that. I think I irritated a few people because I was not instantaneously available, but I really didn’t miss much. Moreover, nobody died because I wanted to isolate myself for a while.
I love your blog, Leslie.
It is an interesting thing that technology which acts to make the global community smaller so that everyone can reach everyone everywhere, also makes personal relationships smaller as you mentioned above. I do, however, believe in technology and I do like my mobile smartphone, so in answer to your question I would vote to keep the mobile technology. BUT, I wish that people would be more mindful of personal relationships, more responsible about keeping appointments, and take the time to interact with one another instead of just digitally. I think it’s a matter of personal responsibility than just a result of technology.
Great post. Thanks for the thoughtful inspiration. Cheers.
My vote is to go back to the simpler times. Freedom to escape the grid without penalty.
Our lives are way too complex and overloaded with activity in this iPhone world…..it makes one anxious and crazy – checking it every other minute. I sat at a chill, vintage bar in NYC’s Little Italy last night – 2 singles, 2 girlfriends and me. I looked around at one point and realized that they were all on their cell phones….even the girls who were there together, sharing a meal. My phone was charging up by the cash register, so it gave me a chance to feel what it was like to be “alone” – before this thing burrowed into my life. We don’t know how to be alone anymore. We shut ourselves off from human interaction….I threw out my observation to the bar – they looked up briefly with smiles and a quick laugh….and then right back down to their screens…..
I’m torn. You all make good points. I’ve made friends across the country with Twitter. I stay in touch with people I wouldn’t because of Facebook. But, as both Sarah and Bespoke Traveler have pointed out, technology tends to dwarf our personal relationships. I could definitely up my will power and personal mindfulness. As a Twitter friend of mine @jmitchem (https://twitter.com/jmitchem) once said, “technology should be your bitch. not the other way around.” But, like Sarah I’m tempted to take the easier approach and snap my fingers.
I’m torn, too. I still really dislike people talking on their headsets in the grocery store, and friends calling me one minute after the time we’re supposed to meet and saying, “Where are you?” But, on the other hand, I like having a phone in case of an emergency.
I still try to respond to headset talkers sometimes, thinking they’re talking to me. And I even use one at times. Not in grocery stores, though.
I miss spontaneity. Friends used to just stop by. Or perhaps you’d run into someone and hang out for a while. I have one friend without a cell phone and he’ll frequently just pop in with a six-pack in hand, or lean out the back door and ask, “Who’s up for grilling?”. It’s fantastic.
You think mobile phones/texting prevents stop-bys? I hadn’t thought about it, but you might be right.
Hey Les,
This is my first time to comment on your blog (sorry!), though I do read/enjoy all your entries. Funny you bring this topic up. Since I’ve been back at my parent’s house I’ve been enjoying reading the news the old-fashioned way as they still receive at least two different newspapers-and I like it. I think it ushers back memories from growing up and eating cereal while skimming the pages left scattered around by my Dad. It does have some novelty to it now.
Though I do appreciate all that technology allows, I definitely love the “simpler” times before cell phones and Facebook. I was able to revert to those times while living in Japan. We would use our house phone (gasp!) to call friends, and if no one answered it just wasn’t that big of a deal. Of course, perhaps island living and no kids added to that sentiment.
Since moving back stateside and now owning a smart phone I don’t like feeling the expectation of having said phone on my person at all times. And though modern technology makes it easier to connect with people and share pictures I admit I’m still not good at staying in touch with friends and even family sometimes.
So, to answer your question-I think I would enjoy going back in time before the invention of cell phones/Facebook. (says the girl who just posted this from her iPhone. Ha!)
Love the blog, Les! Keep up the writing!
See, your comments make me think it’s more the attitude towards technology we accept or refuse to accept. Islanders are generally more laid back and in the moment. And you’ve been able to carry that over. Working in the digital space in San Francisco where everyone is dreaming up a start-up makes it even harder for me to unplug. Or I am making excuses…
Every time I’m without my phone for more than two weeks I’m adjusted and like life without it. But the two weeks is really important for adjusting and you have to go cold turkey. I guess I sound like an addict. I guess I am…
I am totally an addict. I can feel my hands moving for my iPhone and pushing buttons before my brain realizes what’s happening.
I was just thinking this the other day. We recently got new phones and made the leap to smart phones we resisted as long as we could. I feel too connected now, if I wanted to leave and leave the computer facebook madness behind me I could but now I have a ring tone I am starting to hate that tells me when the people I care about make a comment. Ugh. But I honestly do not know how I found anything before GPS, I know I got places but can not fathom how.
I am totally with you on the GPS. I have no internal compass, so it’s a single piece of technology that’s actually helped me.