Foothills Times January 2014 Vol 34 May 2014 | Page 51

So there you have it, the technologyis great but maybe gone too far. So while it’s called Social
Media it could be seen as Anti-Social Media. As with computers it is fine when used with
moderation, there is a time and place for everything. I want you to consider is, anyone
including yourself, so important that a phone can’t be cut off and a pleasant conversation be
held between family or friends?

Part 2

By Vera Guthrie

The last time I touched on the evolution of computers and how it for the most part changed our lives for the better. Now I
will fast forward just a little to the Mobile Phone. I can remember when the Mobile Phone first came to be, it was huge it was
clunky, and the rates for making a call were several dollars a minute. For the most part only the very rich had them and
because of their size they were kept in their car and we referred to them as car phones.
Through the years they became smaller and more affordable but we started using seldom used words such as contract,
port, coverage, gigs, towers, memory, coverage, and provider and of course cell. When they started getting smaller and the
technology became better the phones became common everyone had one and the new question was “what is your mobile
number?” The idea of a small compact phone traveling everywhere with me was great. I and my husband each had a phone
and we carried them for emergencies like if the car broke down, we seldom used them but felt more secure because of having
them. I have often been told I may as well carry a brick as my phone is never on, hey I am not that important!
The Mobile Phone that went to Car Phone was now known as a Cellular Phone and the changes in technology again took
off at break neck speed. Before we knew it we had a mini computer in our purse. We could what??? Text??? Another new
word in our vocabulary. Before long we could view our Facebook Page, search the internet, well the world was our oyster all
in this little handheld gizmo. It seemed that as soon as you bought the latest and greatest cell phone another improved edition
was rolling out. It became common place for people to stand in line for hours to get the newest cell phone, knowing the next
latest and greatest was all ready on the assembly line.
As all this technology was swallowing us up I started noticing changes in people’s habits, some good some bad. I was in
a local diner with my husband one morning probably about a year ago and was just listening to the chatter between the
patrons. The questions were “what kind of phone is that?” “Who is your carrier?” “Do you get good coverage?” “Is this the
newest phone” “did you have to sign a contact?” on and on. In that moment in the diner I digressed while listening to the
conversations to when I was a child coming in that same diner. We would come in and hear the farmers asking “Well is it a
good mule?” “How many acres a day are you turning?” “How much did that last barn turn out?” “How many primers you got
to a field?” “What’s the going rate for a barn at market”? I could almost equate the Gigs to primers and the mules to battery
life. I though “well the topic of discussion has changed but things are still being discussed and still seems no one ever met a
stranger in this place.” Seems the cell phones had become the new ice breaker in striking up a conversation with a stranger so
not all bad.
A few weeks ago my husband and I went in another diner and I noticed a new trend that I think I had been seeing for a
while but hoping I was wrong. We observed a family: Mom, Dad, and Son come in not speaking a word, they sat down
opened their menus, and placed their orders. As soon as the menus were removed and their beverages delivered they all
whipped out the phones and started looking at
these tiny screens, not a word was spoken
amongst these family members. As I watched this
happen I was so dumb founded. I spoke to my
sister about this and she said she had seen the
same thing happen between small children in a
waiting room, instead of getting in the floor
playing together they were on their phones. We
have friends we go out to dinner with on occasion
and it is not a very pleasant experience their
phones come out, they are texting, checking
messages and in between the phone business we
may talk a little. I am just amazed at what I see.
As a rule for the last 30 years when my
husband and I sat down for a meal we talked, I
never looked at a magazine or book. When we got
our cell phones we turned them off when we got
home and still
do. If we are out and about his phone stays put
away and mine in my purse ---turned off.
This should be common courtesy and respect
be it family or friends. In the past few years
families have been encouraged to sit together all
at one time, have a meal and talk; well we kind of
got that they sit together they just don’t talk. He
and I agree we are not that important that
something that is on that phone can’t wait until
later! Face time conversation that is important.

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