Technology Can't Replace Real Folks

I know I’m old-fashioned on account of the fact I’m old and prefer the way some things were done in the past over how they’re done now. For us old-fashioned types, it sometimes feels like the world is spinning out of control with all these new-fangled technological devices. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology. It has changed to world in many ways for the better. I like knowing the doctor can use ultrasound to check out my innards before she traipses in there with a scalpel.


Now I’ll be the first to admit my computer skills aren’t as good as a kid who learned about computers in the womb, but I’m not a complete computer illiterate. I love to bank and shop online and it’s great not to have to run down to the library to research every little thing.


But one thing worries me about technology and especially everyone using cell phones. It seems to me, right-beside-you family and friends should rate more attention than folks who call you on the phone.


In the days of tethered phones, getting a phone call meant going into one room, sitting down and talking. If you had company, you excused yourself for a few minutes to talk to the caller. And of course, it was just common courtesy to keep the call short when you had company, because your guest had taken the time to come and visit in person. Nowadays, with cell phones or bluetooth thingys stuck to everyone’s ear, it seems whoever calls takes precedence while the person with the callee gets ignored.


For gracious sake, what happened to good manners? Why is the person with you less important than the caller? And that’s the signal a person sends when they’d rather talk to someone who called them than talk to the right-beside-them person.


Maybe I’m wrong. After all, many youngsters would label me an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy. But if they’re with me when they label me, at least they’ll know I’m listening, because I won’t be chatting on the phone with someone else.


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