I'm going to bet that technology in general has a whole lot to do with it. I remember all the trouble people got into because they were just out and about with nothing to do. Having a cellphone gives you instant access to something you are interested in regardless of what it is and can be used acceptably if there is any downtime.
This is another thing which cell phones have killed. Today odds are you would be trying to call or text to get in or just browsing on your phone with no time to listen to some old man’s stories .
I might be the outlier here: but I think we had everything we needed BEFORE cell phones and SMS (or more specifically before cell phones were common). Sure, it's nice in an emergency to have a phone anywhere you are, but in a society where you can be reached 24/7 there's a sense of urgency all the time. I struggle to even describe the difference because it's been so long since I've felt that sense of calm that comes with: hey guys, I'm going to X, I'll be back at dinner - and nobody expecting to hear from me until dinner.
I'm sure there are a privileged few that will say you just need to shut your phone off, but for most of us that's not an option. On a vacation? Sure. Outside of that, good luck.
Have you actually lived in the time before cellphones?
I have a hard time imagining anyone not having been in a situation that was made dangerous by the lack of ability to communicate with others. Muggings, beatings, rapes, killings. Accidents, car crashes. Running out of gas, getting lost, losing your wallet. Being unable to reach family for an emergency when they're out.
Even meeting up with your friends was a pain in the ass.
The "connectedness" can be annoying or overwhelming, and the feeling of security when carrying a phone is probably overestimated in our heads, but before phones and cctvs any random moron could just kill you and get away with it if nobody was around. Some of the safety we feel is very real indeed.
Late 30s here and can confirm. Went until I was 16 with zero technology besides Yahoo chat, MSN Messenger and Newgrounds.com. Then got a flip phone which I used mainly for my pizza delivery job. Other than that, hung out with friends and did the dumbest stuff imaginable, not a phone in sight.
I saw a doc not long ago where a guy was in prison for 7 or 8 years - while cell phones and social media was in the middle of really amping up. He said the biggest surprise for him when he got out was seeing 3 out of 4 people looking at their phones everywhere he went.
One could make the argument that we're moving down that path. Ever heard a conversation with someone who doesn't have a mobile phone? People can't believe why someone wouldn't have a cell phone. Pay phones are gone, emergency call boxes on the highways are gone. If you don't have a cell phone, you can't reach emergency services in many areas of travel. If you're not able to be in constant contact, people get suspicious.
It's a far cry from being officially branded as a person of interest, but if you don't have a mobile phone, you're out of mainstream society.
Of all the recent technological advances this is the one I understand the least.
I have a cellphone. Sometimes I get calls or texts. But what in the heck is everyone doing on the damned things all the time? I can't even imagine what could be so interesting.
I think it's a matter of imagination. What's going on in my own head is usually a lot more interesting than what I could potentially do on a cell phone.
I lived without a cell phone until I was in my late 30s (2016). It made going out, meeting friends, navigation, taking photos, and dating much more difficult. Other people will expect you to have one and not having one makes you harder to communicate with; think about how many people you regularly text instead of call. My current relationship relies heavily on a cellphone; we use our phones to identify restaurants, get directions, and have brief text conversations. There are many things I dislike about cellphones but I would never go back.
reply