How obvious is it that the people in this world who are behind all the technology that now dominates virtually every aspect of our life have us all over a barrel.
And it doesn’t look like there is a thing anyone is going to be able to do about it.
When the first cell phones came on the scene it was such a novelty that people wanted them—bad.
It was a pretty cool thing to suddenly have a cell phone in your pocket, so how fast did that catch on?
Kids wanted them, and they got them. Younger kids wanted them, and they got them. And finally, even the old folks got them, although some struggling to learn how to use them.
Yes, everyone wanted a phone and now as we look at the year 2022, we can’t imagine for a second how we live without them.
I try to have some small amount of independence from the phone. When my work day is finished I put it in my office, close the door and leave it there. I have never had it by my bed at night and it’s not unusual for me to do something without having my phone with me.
But the truth is, when I do want to have it, and realize as I head out in the car without it, I panic just like the next guy—“I forgot my phone!!!!!”
Then, as if we weren’t already beholden to the phones so closely, listen to the latest scam from the tech execs.
I suddenly got a text message a few months back that said my current version of the phone was going to be outdated and “you need to get a new phone.”
Seriously! And we know that the good phones are a thousand bucks plus. That was all due to a Sprint/T-Mobile merger—like it wasn’t a great underhanded plan by some executive—to then say “and due to our merger, you need a new phone!”
I guess the execs knew there would be such a screaming outrage that they did do one thing to help. They said that if I could forgo my fancy Apple phone, and I got a Samsung phone, I could get a new one for free, so being the “I don’t care what phone I use” guy, I took my shot with the Samsung.
So now I am in the “wonderful” position of having to learn a new phone, and I imagine each of you has gone through that as well. Fortunately, I AM a bit tech savvy and even though someone in my family wasn’t sure I would like the change from an iPhone to android, I’m doing fine with it and making the transition.
But I think about older people, OK, I’m kind of old—but the REALLY older people, who might have been told “you need a new phone.” You pretty much ruin their life and end any chance they can, one more time, learn how to use a new phone. I can only go by the experience with my mother before she passed away at the age of 89, and the incredible difficulties she had even calling anyone.
Is this technology gimmick ever going to improve for us? I think you know the answer to that, but I guess it was our own fault.
We loved the new phones, and truth be told, most people love a lot about today’s technology.
Just hope I can make it to 80 before I get another text saying “you need to get a new phone.”
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Speaking of technology, if you are connected in any way to school children or grandchildren, you know all about the fact kids now have computers—all of them in school.
And they bring them home to get their homework assignments, then do their homework on the computer, and send it in to the teacher.
What I have noticed a bit now is a new responsibility for parents. Any guess how many times a kid goes to bed at night and doesn’t remember to plug in the Chromebook, as they call it?
Bet your kids don’t have that problem when it comes to recharging their phones.
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Hope I see a lot of you on Thursday evening at 5:30 at the Slidell Auditorium where Mayor Greg Cromer has brought in an expert on creating a Master Plan for smaller aspects of cities, such as our own Olde Towne.
Philip Walker is an expert at creating master plans for areas like downtown Covington or Fairhope, AL, so Cromer has hired the man to do one for Olde Towne.
Thursday night at the Auditorium will be the first public opportunity to voice your opinion about what can be done to enhance, improve and upgrade our historic center.
I plan to be there to see what suggestions we hear. I think it’s a great thing the mayor has put together and I hope many of you show up to be a part of it.
Kevin Chiri can be reached by e-mail at kevinchiri@gmail.com.