Cellphones. Yesterday Steve Jobs, the genius behind Apple (iPods, iPhone) introduced his latest gadget: a slicker, thinner iPhone... and as much as I admire this man, I asked myself...WHY?? Don't we have enough things to distract people already? You'll point out that these gadgets are a necessity in this modern world where we need to know everything in an instant, can't be be out of touch with the whole world at all times and one phone call can make or break our day.
On the other hand, I see another side of this. Since I work from home, and writing is a very emotional and fickle task, I do have time to get around the city at odd hours. Like today, I decided to go to the drugstore after lunch. Driving out of our small island, I hit Brickell Avenue... this is Miami's financial center, full of highrise office buildings and men and women walking from place to place...where are they going and why so fast? Never mind. They all have a phone stuck to their ears, or one of those devices attached to the ear itself. Yappying away, like the world depended on whatever they're saying. Really?
Are they talking to anyone or pretending? I'm sure a lot of them pretend! It makes them look important, they think...can't be without direct communication with the office or the client. Or, how about this: it makes them look like idiots! I'm sorry, nothing is that important and some of them will get run over by a car one of these days. I know I always have to wait from someone to cross the street when the light has turned green in my favor. These people don't look right or left and behave as if they own the street. Since most people driving the cars are also on the phone...how are there not several dead every day, it's a mystery to me.
So back to Steve Jobs. I am sure he is having the time of his life coming up with all those gadgets and making all that money. Don't get me wrong, I love his computers, have had several since I first started using them. They are fabulous and I should have bought shares in this company from the beginning: put your money where your mouth is (I have always loved Apple) sort of philosophy...too late now, of course! Having a phone for an important call, for an emergency, to have access to important information in a instant...all that is great. My family lives all over the place and a cellphone is a lifeline and a blessing. Still, I cannot understand at all the necessity of having a constant communication with someone else. When do they have time to think, to be with their own thoughts? I must really be getting old, or I must really be missing the slow pace and relaxed lifestyle of the Tropics!
On the other hand, I see another side of this. Since I work from home, and writing is a very emotional and fickle task, I do have time to get around the city at odd hours. Like today, I decided to go to the drugstore after lunch. Driving out of our small island, I hit Brickell Avenue... this is Miami's financial center, full of highrise office buildings and men and women walking from place to place...where are they going and why so fast? Never mind. They all have a phone stuck to their ears, or one of those devices attached to the ear itself. Yappying away, like the world depended on whatever they're saying. Really?
Are they talking to anyone or pretending? I'm sure a lot of them pretend! It makes them look important, they think...can't be without direct communication with the office or the client. Or, how about this: it makes them look like idiots! I'm sorry, nothing is that important and some of them will get run over by a car one of these days. I know I always have to wait from someone to cross the street when the light has turned green in my favor. These people don't look right or left and behave as if they own the street. Since most people driving the cars are also on the phone...how are there not several dead every day, it's a mystery to me.
So back to Steve Jobs. I am sure he is having the time of his life coming up with all those gadgets and making all that money. Don't get me wrong, I love his computers, have had several since I first started using them. They are fabulous and I should have bought shares in this company from the beginning: put your money where your mouth is (I have always loved Apple) sort of philosophy...too late now, of course! Having a phone for an important call, for an emergency, to have access to important information in a instant...all that is great. My family lives all over the place and a cellphone is a lifeline and a blessing. Still, I cannot understand at all the necessity of having a constant communication with someone else. When do they have time to think, to be with their own thoughts? I must really be getting old, or I must really be missing the slow pace and relaxed lifestyle of the Tropics!
1 comment:
My husband is taking the old adage, "An apple a day..." a bit too far. He just bought an iPhone and now is eyeing a MacBook. Must remember to show him your post.
I am a very simple person when it comes to cellphones. I wish we did not have them, though. Life would be so much better! I hate it when the phone rings late, and it's office calling. So much for liberating technology!
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