Modern Technology and Staying In Touch

 

Today I was going to write about some of the new games I've been playing, but then my cell phone broke.  It doesn't work.  It's caught in an endless loop of rebooting.  This brought up a thought beyond the pain of having to find a new phone, sign a new 2 year contract, and figure out all of my contacts' phone numbers again.

We are all very connected.  Through texting, calling, facebook, twitter, email, snail mail, skype, ventrilo, instant messaging, blogs, comments, and overall being spoiled by having access to each other.  Think about all the means you use to communicate in just one day.  Really, just take a moment to think about every piece of technology you have touched today that can be used to communicate with another human being.

I don't know how people got along before all of this technology.  Intellectually I understand, but I'm only 23 and I've never had to live an unplugged life.  My generation is the first one where everyone has had cell phones since we were teenagers.  I will never own a home phone or an answering machine.  It's simply a fact of people my age.  I don't have cable television but I would go crazy after a day without my high speed internet.  Times have changed.

My cell phone has been dead for about 18 hours now.  Not being able to call or text is annoying but it isn't my real problem at the moment.  My problem is that I feel disconnected.  What if someone called?  What if an employee needs to get a hold of me?  What if my wife needs me to pick something up from the store on the way home?  What if my mom wants to text while she is bored out of her mind in a meeting?  What if I need help in an emergency?

The what ifs are killing me today.  I can go days without talking on the phone or texting but to lose the ability to do those things feels like a vital part of me is missing.  It makes me wonder if that speaks badly of me - personally - or if it's the way of my entire generation.

My generation is the first to be easily connected with each other 24-7.  We remember when we were little kids and had to use the home phone or check the answering machine, but ever since communicating with others started mattering to us - in our teens - we have had cell phones and the internet.  Access to one another is something we take for granted.

So, honestly, how did you get by before modern technology?  I can't imagine living the adult life that I do now without having the technology I use daily.  Better yet, do you think you could ever go back to the way things were?  I think I would go a little bit crazy.