MiningGood.com

Just yesterday I walked out of the house and realized I had left my cellular phone on the table inside. I had been eating lunch and my phone was sitting right on the table next to my plate. When I realized this, I went right back inside to get it. I did it immediately. Strange thing was that I was only going to get the mail. I was only going to be out of the house for maybe two minutes as my mailbox is about 100 yards away from the front door. 

Now that I think about it, I really don’t go anywhere without my phone. I take it to the bathroom with me. Does everyone do this now? I am old enough to remember when we did not have phones in our pockets. I remember leaving the house and the only way I could call anyone was finding a payphone. I remember when my employer made me start wearing a pager. If I was beeped, I needed to pull off the road and find a phone at a gas station or 7-11. I started to resent that I was always reachable 24/7.  I remember giving my pager number to my wife when she was pregnant. That seemed good. She could reach me in case of emergency. When I saw our home number on my pager for the first time, I almost wrecked the car getting to a payphone. Turned out she wanted me to bring home some take out food. I was not happy. 

For generations and generations, humans survived without cellular communication. I know this site is used for sharing “good” and I guess all this technology is “good” right? I mean it must be good if I can’t even be without it while on the toilet, right? What do you think? Have you ever been somewhere and your phone battery dies or you find yourself with no service…OMG. Don’t get me started on this text speak. And yes I had to look up “text speak” on my phone to make sure that was what it is called.

So, I know it is now 2020 and I realize we use our phones for so much more than phone calls these days. We have become so dependent on them for information, entertainment, directions, photography, shopping and more. How many of you have gone into a restaurant and seen two people at a table, both on their phones and not talking to each other at all. Are they texting each other? What about our kids? If you call them they may not answer, but if you text they respond in seconds. Is all this technology “good” or has it changed the world in a way that we have lost some other “good” things that we will never get back? Excuse me for a minute, my phone is ringing…………… Sorry about that, I had to stop writing this important article to take a call from a recorded voice trying to sell me something. Can you imagine, without my phone I would have missed that. 

I am conflicted. I really like that I can ask my phone for important information and it is right there in my hand. But I still do not like that I never disconnect anymore. What am I afraid of? Am I afraid that I will miss a call from a customer or a potential customer? Am I worried that my family couldn’t get a hold of me in an emergency? Those things are very important. Or am I afraid that I would just be so uncomfortable without this small screen in my pocket, without the ability to think for myself and have to figure things out on my own? Have I forgotten how to read a map? Could I simply unplug for a day, or even a few hours without severe anxiety. How about you? I am really conflicted about this. 

Please tell me what you think. I will publish responses I get by attaching them to this story. Just click below and tell me how you feel about this subject.