In 2016 the thought of being “out of touch” is kind of strange. Think about it, everyone is a Facebook, Twitter, Google+ status update or text away from the latest and greatest news or breaking story. If you happened to miss the event there just might be audio or video of it. I guess from one perspective that can be viewed as progressive, however, I can think of a few reasons that life was better without cell phones. I have 10 reasons below. POW!
10. People had conversations at dinner parties.
How many times have you been out at a dinner party or even out for a bite with a friend and every time you look up from your phone they are hypnotized by theirs?
9. You didn’t have to worry about the “context” of your message.
It seems like we are at the mercy of autocomplete and spell check these days. How many times have you been confused by a text, or even mad about a message you received just to be informed that it was “taken out of context”? Back in the “good ole days” you would pick up a phone and actually say what you mean.
8. Concerts were much better.
I have to say, I have been guilty of snapping a few pics during a concert or two. Plus, it's easier holding your cell phone up when the lights go down in the stadium and it doesn’t burn your hand like a lighter. However, watching a show I paid $50 for through the screen of the person in front of me is not my idea of a good time. Plus, all the mystery of the show is gone when you can see the footage of the show an hour later on your latest blog.
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7. You could miss calls without the guilt.
These days you can block numbers, reroute calls, send them to voicemail or just flat out ignore the call. We are all free to choose. Sometimes our phones run out of juice and calls go straight to voicemail and on more than one occasion I have felt guilty for missing a call. I shouldn’t feel guilty because you know what? Sometimes I am busy! Some people are so attached to their phones that they feel slighted when you don't answer yours every single time. The days when the phone rang indefinitely were classic.
6. You could remember phone numbers.
I have about 4000 contacts on my amazing iPhone 4s (don’t laugh at me, I'm upgrading soon). Anyway, the other day all the names disappeared from my contacts so I was only left with the numbers and I could only recognize a few of them. The only way I’ve been able to associate a name with a number is by reviewing old text messages. Years ago I could rattle off the numbers of my closest friends with no problem at all.5. Getting a “number” was an accomplishment.
This one might be just for the fellas. I remember going to school dances with the intention of getting phone numbers from girls and at the end of the night we would have a tally of how many numbers we got…HA!! I know it's childish, but I was a teenager. The excitement was calling the number the next day to determine if you got the right number and having a conversation with someone new. These days you might get the number just to be ignored when you call because you have been named “thirsty” or “weirdo” when the call comes through on their phone.
4. Party lines
Party lines were so much fun! You could call an 800 number and talk all night with a group of people you knew or didn’t know. The only drawback was the ridiculous charges to your phone bill. The plus side was when you were done with the group you could just hang up the phone. These days when you become part of a group message it's eternal whether you like it or not.
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3. Meeting people face to face
Phones have become an extension of our lives. Sometimes we can carry on relationships via text messaging and video chats, however nothing beats the human touch.
2. We had privacy.
I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments. I’ve even had some fights where I didnt fare so well. NONE of those made it to World Star.These days if you hear the word “World Staaaaaaaaaaaaar” rest assured it will be shown to millions over the world wide web because someone is recording it via their cell phone. As of late, I understand that the NSA has been tracking the cell phone usage of American citizens providing the type of insight that was not involved before the advent of cell phones. MIND YOUR BUSINESS, YO!!!
1. WE HAD FUN IN THE MOMENT!!
There is something about being tethered to a phone. Taking pictures, updating statuses and sharing news all take away from enjoying our time in the moment of what we are experiencing. Be present! Have fun! PUT THE PHONES DOWN!!
What do you think? Was life better before cell phones or not? Let us know!
This article was originally published here.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Relationships center for more articles.
Eddy "Precise" Lamarre is an emcee and blogger. Follow him on Twitter @Precise_Chi and on his blog.
