No Cell Phone

[Thursday]

Anyone here give up the cell phone? I lost mine recently, but immediately felt the lack of remorse and was greeted by relief. Aside from the early cancellation fees from my service provider, my cognitive function and morale are up about....30%. Testimonies, please.

 

[Coriolis]

I cannot say I have given up the cell phone, because I have never had one. I was given a blackberry at work for awhile, and used it primarily to check email, but they were taken away last year to reduce costs.

 

[Fidelia]

This has been the first month I've ever had a cell and that was because there are seldom payphones and Internet access anymore without. I have on purpose not gotten one before because I don't have a huge need for it and I think it would be easy to become lazy making plans, being present in the moment, thinking ahead, budgeting time etc if there is always a fallback there.

 

[Halla74]

This has been the first month I've ever had a cell and that was because there are seldom payphones and Internet access anymore without. I have on purpose not gotten one before because I don't have a huge need for it and I think it would be easy to become lazy making plans, being present in the moment, thinking ahead, budgeting time etc if there is always a fallback there.

I agree with your sentiments above.
I didn't get a cellphone until I was 28 (when my wife was pregnant for the first time) - and since then have realized that until the day I die I must be reachable in the event my wife or kids needs me.
That part of having a cellphone is cool with me; I want to available when needed for my loved ones.

However, ALOT of cellphone calls are anything but emergencies - and that is when they feel like a "leash" instead of a useful communications tool.
Finally, I am in disbelief each day as I see people walking through busy parking lots whilst gazing into their iPhones to check their FB statuses or other task far less important than not getting run over by a vehicle.

I think that with the advent of smartphones especially, many people immediately jump into their 8 inch LED virtual life in between all else they do, whether it's standing in an elevator, walking through a hallway, sitting in traffic. My belief is that smartphones are quickly degrading people's social skills, first because they simply are not present in their immediate surroundings and thus not going to engage or receive in-person attempts at communicating with their friends/peers/neighbors/etc.. Second, I think that like any other skill, getting good socializing takes practice, and once you develop a skill, you must continue to practice it going forward lest your implementation of that skill degrades. How well can people solve algebra problems after not using algebra with any regularity after they pass their final exam? Weeks? Months? Not very long.

So, I think that a human's consciousness should be far wider than an 8 inch LED screen, and thus only use my smartphone when absolutely necessary, and use all my other senses to enjoy the daily wonders in my life.



-Halla74

 

[gromit]

I have a very bare-bones old fashioned flip phone. No internet. I don't have any other way of being reached, so it kind of serves as my land line. I don't really talk on the phone much anyway, so it's fine for my uses.

 

[prplchknz]

I have a cell because i don't have a lan line. But If i don't feel like answering I'll leave it somewhere

 

[Lexicon]

I have a very bare-bones old fashioned flip phone. No internet. I don't have any other way of being reached, so it kind of serves as my land line. I don't really talk on the phone much anyway, so it's fine for my uses.

^This.


I dislike on the onehand that it's always with me- and thus a tracking device for clingy people in my life, but I screen my calls, & almost never answer texts immediately, to reduce the expectation that I always will. I've had people in the past get really upset with me for not responding to texts asap. It gets really tiring, so if I can halt that kind of expectation in its tracks, all the better.

I do tend to worry about people close to me in my life & want to be there to help whenever possible- so I don't often turn off my cell phone, for this reason. Example- my INTP friend's car broke down once, & because she assumed most people were sleeping, she didn't call anyone. She ended up getting a ride from some random dude in a truck, out in the middle of nowhere. Call me overprotective, I guess. I called her a retard & told her to call me from now on. If I couldn't get out there myself, I'd call/pay for a cab. It's worth my sleep getting disturbed, etc.


I've had my number changed a few times over the years, and when I have, I've pared down the people who have it, so I don't really get many calls in general. That's how I prefer it. (I'm also off the grid in that I never had/never want a Facebook. The only ways to contact me are via email, my cell, & regular US Post, if I actually gave you my home address).

I don't see myself needing a smartphone anytime now or in the near future. I don't feel like I need to have internet access 24/7. Seems like a waste of money, & that I'd miss the chance to explore some things on my own. My schedule & life demands aren't so tight that I can't spare the time to pause & research when I need to. Plan in advance. I love stopping at public libraries in new towns/cities, to figure out where I'm going, take a break, etc. My homes away from home.

The only time owning a smartphone would have helped me was in the past 2 summers, when my shitpile zombie car would overheat super easily, had no AC.
If there happened to be highway construction, or an accident- and my car was idling on the highway for a good stretch of time, I'd eventually overheat/break down. Or I'd make myself sick from having to run the heat to cool the engine, on a 90 degree humid day. Having access to Google Maps would've helped, since it shows just how far away you are from a new route- & would help me estimate if I'd be able to stay on the hwy, depending on how long the holdup was going to be. It would have quelled a lot of anxiety. Fortunately, [MENTION=5398]Edgar[/MENTION] allowed me to randomly call in a panic like an idiot, harassing him to look this info up for me on his smartphone, when in extreme need, haha [/not being a NF hypocrite at all].

Since this undead car's finally gone from my life, this is a nonissue, now. So, fuck smartphones, I still don't need them!

 

[Tiltyred]

My iphone makes my life better. I love having a GPS with voice to give me directions so I never get lost anymore , all my music, my books, facebook, lists I make, the weather, parking so I don't have to keep change for meters, even a compass so I can see if I'm facing right for my kua! Oh, yeah, and there's a phone on it. I think I've used that once.

 

[Lexicon]

My iphone makes my life better. I love having a GPS with voice to give me directions so I never get lost anymore , all my music, my books, facebook, lists I make, the weather, parking so I don't have to keep change for meters, even a compass so I can see if I'm facing right for my kua! Oh, yeah, and there's a phone on it. I think I've used that once.

Ah man, I don't know how people use GPS.. A rental car I used once came with that; it nearly killed me! I found it more distracting than anything else. I seem to have a pretty decent internal GPS- like I rarely get lost, & if I do, I right myself rather easily. Having some voice tell me when to turn at what seems like the LAST moment, just makes me mad more than anything else. I feel like those things are spiteful. They don't want to help, but because it's their job.. they do. Kind of. I think they secretly want us to get in an accident.

 

[Tiltyred]

Hahahahaha! I love those commercials! But honestly, if you spin me around twice in my own back yard, I can't find my way home. I have zero sense of direction whatsoever, and that used to keep me from going places I hadn't been before. Now I go anywhere I want. I get warnings before turns -- it will tell me, "In 800 feet, turn right on X Street," then "In 400 feet, turn right on X Street," etc. until "Turn RIGHT!" Maybe it has to do with the settings?

Also it's nice to be able to text when you're on the train, in the quiet car.

 

[kyuuei]

I love my cellphone.

I've been without cell phones for long periods of time via deployments without issue. In Iraq I didn't have one until maybe the last 3 months, when someone gave me their old one. So I just sent texts to my buddy to let him know what movie to prep for movie night that night. Hah!

In Africa recently I didn't have one until half-way through when I went to Uganda. My mission commander had bought one, but offered it to me since I was more tech savvy. I ended up using it to text HFD all the time I even had to sneak out one evening to try to find an MTN (the minutes provider) booth still open to get more minutes. I probably wasted more money on minutes in Uganda than I care to calculate. And you know what? I HATED THAT PLAIN OLD PHONE!! It couldn't hold more than 80 texts! How am I suppose to flirt and re-visit cute texts like that!? I can't is the issue!

So! Smart phone for me, I love it, never looking back.

And GPS I <3 it. Although, I tend to read the map and directions before I set out on a course, so it's easier for me to get a hang of where it's trying to take me. GPS isn't perfect, so reading the map yourself ahead of time makes the whole thing work like magic.

 

[Lexicon]

Also it's nice to be able to text when you're on the train, in the quiet car.

The fact that I get nauseated really easily from reading while in motion would probably make it harder for me to enjoy alll the stuff smartphones have. But then again, I like looking out the windows, getting lost in thought. Or watching people on the subway, like a creep in the corner.

And GPS I <3 it. Although, I tend to read the map and directions before I set out on a course, so it's easier for me to get a hang of where it's trying to take me. GPS isn't perfect, so reading the map yourself ahead of time makes the whole thing work like magic.

They've gotten you too?!
No one is safe...

Y'know.. maybe I'm just a damn weirdo when it comes to the GPS. I have trouble visually understanding maps, too, frequently. I have the absolute easiest time with written verbal directions (supplemented by a visual map, but it takes longer to grasp overall if I don't have the written words).
I still think GPS is inherently evil, though.


I'll stop derailing the thread with my GPS hatred, now, haha.

 

[Coriolis]

This has been the first month I've ever had a cell and that was because there are seldom payphones and Internet access anymore without. I have on purpose not gotten one before because I don't have a huge need for it and I think it would be easy to become lazy making plans, being present in the moment, thinking ahead, budgeting time etc if there is always a fallback there.

I agree completely. What did people do before cell phones? They actually planned ahead, and kept their commitments, and gave people reasonable notice if they had to make a change. Same thing about GPS. When I go somewhere new, I go online and print out a map. This also allows me to peruse the area ahead of time. I can use the maps in any car, can give them to someone else, etc. As a passenger, I have seen GPS units give people some very odd routes, when I know from personal experience a much better way to get there. My house, for instance, is not accurately shown on either GPS directions or googlemaps. If you want to find it, you need me to give you directions.

I agree with your sentiments above.
I didn't get a cellphone until I was 28 (when my wife was pregnant for the first time) - and since then have realized that until the day I die I must be reachable in the event my wife or kids needs me.
That part of having a cellphone is cool with me; I want to available when needed for my loved ones.

However, ALOT of cellphone calls are anything but emergencies - and that is when they feel like a "leash" instead of a useful communications tool.
Finally, I am in disbelief each day as I see people walking through busy parking lots whilst gazing into their iPhones to check their FB statuses or other task far less important than not getting run over by a vehicle.

We are not the first generation to want our spouses, kids, or even aging parents to be able to reach us easily. We are simply the first to have access to cell phone technology. All those prior generations were still able to care for their families without it, so I'm not sure cell phones are needed, even for that. I especially agree with you about the frivolous use. When I help with women's self-defense classes, one of the things we point out to the participants is the need for situational awareness, especially in places don't seem that safe. Having your nose in a cellphone is bad practice.

I have hesitated to get a cell phone primarily because the limited use I would put it to does not justify the cost. Maybe once or twice a year I need (really need, not simply want) to make a phone call when I am away from a landline. I have always been able to find a pay phone, or occasionally borrow someone's cell phone. In addition to the cost/benefit fail, I don't like the traceability of cell phones. When I had the work blackberry, I felt like I was wearing a homing device. I would often leave it at home or remove the battery when not on the job. I suppose it's fair game for my employer to be able to track my whereabouts during work hours, but I don't want anyone doing that on my own time. Finally, I would have a hard time getting used to a cell phone instead of a land line, since I would have to keep the phone nearby to hear it ring. I have 3 landline phones in my house, and I can hear the phone ring from anywhere. Doesn't mean I always answer it, but I know a call is coming in.

 

[pinkgraffiti]

I wouldn't mind not having one. I often forget mine at home when I leave and I don't miss it one bit. Sometimes I feel I'd like to go back to my childhood/teenage years when I'd be out on the street and nobody would break my b**. I already feel too overwhelmed by constant internet/phone/etc. Maybe without all of this crap I'd be able to concentrate on one thing at a time and slow down. Who knows.

 

[Falcarius]

Falcarius has a rather basic smart phone; he does not really use his phone. He only really has one as using the running apps on a phone worked out cheaper than buying a GPS watch.

 

[kyuuei]

They've gotten you too?!
No one is safe...

Y'know.. maybe I'm just a damn weirdo when it comes to the GPS. I have trouble visually understanding maps, too, frequently. I have the absolute easiest time with written verbal directions (supplemented by a visual map, but it takes longer to grasp overall if I don't have the written words).
I still think GPS is inherently evil, though.


I'll stop derailing the thread with my GPS hatred, now, haha.

Yup they have! It was originally a cost thing--I didn't want to buy another Key map, so I just started using the free GPS on my phone via google. Now it's a convenience thing--keeps me on time when making appointments and such.

I'm actually quite good with maps. I get a little nervous when under pressure to read them, but I've found myself fairly accurate when doing land navigation training, and when my brother and I got lost in downtown Boston for a while and we were suppose to meet his wife it's so easy to look at my map and say, "Oh, yeah, I have to go to the southwest side. Okay." and just look at the GPS again when I'm about 5 minutes out from destination and see the exact streets to turn on. It's made a lot of potentially irritating navigation issues quite easy on me in my own home town.

I will, however, complain that it is far less adapted for other hometowns. I had a lot of eye-twitching irritation issues in San Francisco with it, and frequently resorted to the crappy free maps you get from the airport. It did the job fine for finding restaurants and stores, but when we needed help locating other things or needing to turn around and go back home, it would get confused and send us down the wrong roads. The more complex the roadways are in a city, the more issues you will have with the GPS. Houston is easy--a few linear highways, and a couple big circles around them.

 

[WALMART]

Cell phones are pretty whack....

If you don't like having access to the entire universe of established information at your fingertips. I could see phobics in general growing wary to the almighty power the modern cell phone has wrought.

 

[Lexicon]

Falcarius has a rather basic smart phone; he does not really use his phone. He only really has one as using the running apps on a phone worked out cheaper than buying a GPS watch.

Dinosaurs aren't supposed to need phones at all, you sellout.

 

[SD45T-2]

Y'know.. maybe I'm just a damn weirdo when it comes to the GPS. I have trouble visually understanding maps, too, frequently. I have the absolute easiest time with written verbal directions (supplemented by a visual map, but it takes longer to grasp overall if I don't have the written words).
I still think GPS is inherently evil, though.


I'll stop derailing the thread with my GPS hatred, now, haha.

http://fivefiftyfivechronicles.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-gps-said-to-turn.html

 

[chickpea]

I would get lost constantly without GPS, be super bored on public transit without games to play and Internet to read, and annoyed that I can't google random facts I need to find out immediately.

As annoying as they can be, and even though I think our phones are going to start turning against us someday, I still love my iPhone. (Typing this on it right now )