As a gentleman of a certain age I pride myself with keeping up with technology. I'm downloading music from iTunes and books from iBooks. I have an iPhone, an iPad and a MacBook. I get my news from the internet, not newspapers and TV. I watch videos. I check out movie times and theatres. And I bookmark restaurants I go to so I can reserve on the internet in the future.
But one thing I don't get is texting. I mean really, as if e-mail wasn't impersonal enough. Now you can be rude and remote in real time?
I have friends who aren't even on Facebook so like I'm sure they're not into texting. They, and I, think cell phones are for talking. How prehistoric, right? And I actually still have a landline telephone at home. Imagine!
But I hate to admit I am guilty of being lazy and evasive. That's right, I'm a texter. I use my cell phone for almost everything except talking. It's got games, books, news, music, Google and, yes, a texting function.
But my texting is limited. I contain it to just my kids. It's not because we're not close. It's because it's convenient. They both work. I know they'll get my text and answer me later in the day. And vice-versa.
But still it's difficult for me to accept. I mean I grew up in the day of rotary phones and party lines and, I know this will shock you, face-to-face conversations. Yes, imagine having to actually talk to someone standing next to you! Welcome to the 2010s!
Funny thing. In 1976, one of my favourite 70s bands released an album called "How Dare You?". The inside of the album cover portrayed a group of people at a party, all of them talking on the phone.
This was 1976, mind you. Cut the phone cords and that picture would represent any social gathering today. Why talk to someone in person when you can Tweet, Facebook, e-mail or text someone else?
Talk to someone face-to-face? I guess 10cc got it right, and were way ahead of their time, when they said "How Dare You?"
Check in with those characters at We Work For Cheese and see who else is texting today.
Comments
What I don't get is texting back and forth to carry on a conversation...then wouldn't it be easier to talk.
At work I tell my staff, if you can see a colleague instead of calling, do it. If you can call instead of emailing, do it.
But I've waited. I've waited and waited and waited. So far, as long as I've been here in Alafriggenbama...only three people have struck up a conversation with me. I've been here 23 years.
And they say the South is friendly. Bullshit...New Jersey was a LOT friendlier than this. And we're supposed to be rude.
But...I always talk to people. I've only had one person look at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my forehead. Usually they say how refreshing it is for someone to talk to them...especially older people. We remember what face-to-face talking was like.
I've even gotten my hair done and they don't say jack. Isn't that the first rule of hairdressing school? To talk to your customer?
Yeah...I don't get it.
You mean 10cc did another song besides "I'm Not In Love"? Who'da thunk. ;)
BTW, that one's lyrics has the words "Just because...I call you up..."
I felt compelled to mention that...as you started this whole "conversation". :).
Always with the trivial things - all the stuff in my mind comes out in Jeopardy!...but I'm sure, not if I were a contestant.
I definitely remember that our phones were the old heavy rotary kind. You could kill rats with them if you had to. (Not that we ever did, although it was a long time ago and my memory is bad.)
I've never used an iPhone or an iPad or an iPod or an iPoodle (or whatever the next big thing is).
I have, however, texted.
There's still hope for me, though, because I make a point of texting with correct spelling and grammar and punctuation. So I still qualify as a weirdo who is stuck in the past.
I'm ok with that.
If the rats were still alive, I'm sure they'd agree.