Too Much Tech

I grew up with an old rotary phone that was placed (strategically) in our living room, thus denying two young boys the opportunity to talk to our legions of female admirers with any semblance of privacy. Ok, perhaps that’s a bit of creative history, but I’ve painted the picture for you all the same.

Phones have come a long way since that time and I for one am thankful. You see, I love the convenience of my cell phone. It’s nothing fancy mind you, but I still appreciate it.   Forget what you had to pick up from the store?Calling. . .home–no quarters needed. (Yes, pay phones were big back then too). What’s the score of the game? No problem, I’ve got it right here on my phone. Waiting for an important email–bam! On my phone.

Perhaps that’s also the problem. We’ve become too reliant on them. Let me explain. I’ve begun to witness a strange and disturbing phenomenon infecting our society; the absolute and total obsession and intrusion of cell phones on our daily lives. While I recognize that this isn’t necessarily a ground breaking revelation, it seems more prevalent–or I’ve become more sensitive.

Now, I am as guilty as anyone at checking out a quick score or making a call from the bread aisle, but I like to think I have my limits. I don’t take my phone into the movies. I don’t check it constantly during my son’s sporting or school events, and it never goes with me to the park or church.

Am I turning into an old fuddy-duddy? I don’t think so, but I can’t help but cringe when I’m out nowadays. People are on them constantly. Waiting in line. Walking down the street. At their kids’ events and in the car. What put me over the edge other day was a dad at the park with his two girls. The girls were digging in the sandbox, looking back at their dad to see if he was watching, and he was on his phone.

I don’t get it. Forgive me if I sound preachy, but it seems to me that there are times in life that should be phone free. It’s almost as if the wonders of modern technology have made us take a step back as a society and that everything made to improve our communication has actually begun to inhibit it.

Maybe this is just a new societal phase and we will eventually cut ties with the apps that seem to dominate our lives. To me, it’s worth putting that phone away, because those moments in the park won’t last forever.

Agree? Disagree? Give me a ring.