Life before cell phones
Why bother with actual words when you can send a few acronyms?
By Tim Wilson
Why is it that when there is so much amazing communications technology, our actual communication seems to suffer?
Before cellular service came about, the plain old telephone served a simple function. You used it to talk to another human being from a distance. If the person you were calling was on the phone, you got a busy signal. Remember those?
Now, if someone calls while you are on a cellphone it will tell you who is calling and let you interrupt the conversation you are having to take the next one. God forbid anyone wait. But if you choose to finish your conversation, your phone may buzz or chime or whistle or whatever, to let you know someone has sent you a text message.
Text messaging is a great concept. Send a message to someone to read at their convenience and respond when they can. However, it seems that the same mindset that makes it unbearable to wait to reach someone makes it a chore to type any more than a minimal number of characters.
Why bother with actual words when you can send a few acronyms? In fact, who needs letters? Just send some goofy images. Forget communicating a message clearly. Let’s turn the process into a 21st century of the TV game show “Concentration”.
Another issue with communication on cellphones via text is a lack of understanding that the written word lacks the tone and inflection that accompany the spoken word. Eyes don’t detect sarcasm or humor in comments quite as well as the ears can. What was intended as a harmless crack can ignite a couple’s next spat when reader doesn’t read it the way the writer heard it in his or her head while typing.
Before cellphones or even voicemail, if you called and someone wasn’t home, there was a chance you might get to speak to another human and leave a message. I recognize that posed a risk of the message taker forgetting to tell the intended recipient. But at least you knew somebody heard the message. These days who listens to voicemails when more than half are from digitally generated calls from spammers.
I could go on about what we’ve given up in exchange for all the great things cellphones can do for us. Maybe another time. For now, I’ll leave you with a theory. The real reason they are called smartphones is because when people hold them to their ears, they suck all the intelligence out of their brains.
About the author: Tim Wilson is a lifelong resident of Massachusetts. He is passionate about his family, Marquette University, bicycling and all Boston sports.