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Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
I have no mobile phone, nor do I desire one. This can be extremely frustrating at times when doing Internet related things such as setting up new accounts when the only option is "verify a mobile phone number" when I don't have one.
I have no idea why Yubikey is not implemented as a security option when it's often far safer than any phone, landline or other. Am I the only one on the Café without a mobile phone? My wife and kids know how to contact me when I'm not home, and I know the locations of public telephones (there are actually quite a few here in Japan). Should I need assistance with directions, I go "old-school" and actually interact with strangers face to face. PS - I'm not a Luddite in any form or fashion, I just prefer to not be a slave 24/7 to technology like so many nomophobes. |
Animated Puppets Loyal user Lost on a Green Screen 285 Posts |
I guess it is safe to assume you never have gigs or shows?
I don't like Smart Phones, but I have a cheap Nokia which I can call/text and the only perk option I like to use is the torch feature.
I still recall the day I met Beaker from the Muppets. He said to me "Meep, meep, mee mee mee Meep!", and that has made all the difference.
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Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
Thank you very much for your reply Mike, and no, that's not a safe assumption at all.
I do have shows/gigs - often booked 9-10 months in advance. Here in Japan, things tend to get planned very early. I've been performing for almost 30 years, magic, juggling (4 balls, 3 machetes, 5 ball flash - I'm working on 5 cascade), caricature, balloons, Santa, auctioneering, etc. I had to give up my unicycling unfortunately. I've turned down Santa performances at the best hotels here in Nagoya for years as I've had other commitments. I have a landline where I talk to people, a computer where I can e-mail, and I'm often available to meet clients face-to-face. |
Animated Puppets Loyal user Lost on a Green Screen 285 Posts |
As long as it works for you
I still recall the day I met Beaker from the Muppets. He said to me "Meep, meep, mee mee mee Meep!", and that has made all the difference.
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Bobby Forbes Inner circle virginia beach, VA. 1569 Posts |
You don't have to be a slave to it 24/7. Just turn it off when you don't want to be bothered. Simple. Having at least a basic flip phone can possibly save your life one day. Just food for thought
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Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
Thank you very much Bobby.
Yes, you're absolutely right, it can be a life saver, thank you again. I'm lucky to be in a very populated city (Nagoya - about 2.3 million) so I would hope if I'm ever in distress, strangers would come to my assistance. The only time I'm ever alone is if I'm home here and the boss (Mrs.) and kids are gone. I hope and pray that if I ever need to call 110 (police) or 119 (fire, ambulance, emergency services) that I'd be able to make it to the landline in case the family is out and not have to pull a Mrs. Fletcher, "I've fallen and I can't get up." |
WitchDocChris Inner circle York, PA 2614 Posts |
Quote:
Should I need assistance with directions, I go "old-school" and actually interact with strangers face to face. Got turned around in New York City once, back before GPS or smart phones were common. I stopped 5 different times to ask people for directions and not one of them drove. You're probably in the minority regarding smart phones, yes. Doesn't mean it's wrong or anything, just that the majority of society is moving forward with technology and you are not. As said above, whatever works for you.
Christopher
Witch Doctor Psycho Seance book: https://tinyurl.com/y873bbr4 Boffo eBook: https://tinyurl.com/387sxkcd |
slowkneenuh Regular user After 5,278+ posts, only credited with 133 Posts |
I guess you can say I am addicted to my smart phone (mobile phone) only because it has become the most useful and versatile electronic product ever available, and I'm sure that I under utilize it.
As an example of my frequent use: phone, camera (state of the art functions for photos and video), GPS, maps, flashlight, phonebook, magnifier, calendar, calculator, clock with alarm, document and photo repository, email, texting, scheduling, booking, reserving, researching, real time news, weather and traffic for any location, Uber booking and tracking, flight booking, tracking, and boarding passes, restaurants info and reservations, shopping and shipment tracking, personal assistant, etc. I could go on and on but you get my drift. All of this and more from a device that fits in your pocket and is readily available wherever and whenever you need it.
John
"A poor workman always blames his tools" |
Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
LOL WitchDocChris - Great story, thank you. I don't drive here in Japan nor do I have a license, public transportation is wonderful. When I'm stateside, I do drive but prefer to be driven. BTW, I'm from PA originally as I see you're a fellow Pennsylvanian.
I'm pretty up-to-date on tech, and do move forward with tech (actually ahead of the curve sometimes with beta testing), just prefer not to have a phone. Slowkneehuh, thank you too, as well as Mike again for taking the time to respond. Yes, phones are convenient, but in my opinion, a bit too convenient sometimes. Being involved in higher education in Asia, I've noticed a trend, and not a positive one, regarding attention spans, memory ability, interpersonal relationships, etc. that have been negatively affected by phones over a span of 2 decades. It takes me months of hard work to get undergrads to break their addiction, and yes, it is an addiction for many, but at the end of the semester, they're basically new people realizing the importance of humanity over technology. Technology enhancing humanity is wonderful, technology "replacing" humanity is not. Anyhow, back to original post, I wish companies would use more advanced security technologies like Yubikey which is more secure than phones for verifying information. |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
I used to carry an emergency flip phone for $10 a month. I didn't give out the number and was rarely harassed by weird calls.
Then the company I was using jacked the price to $30 and said I would need a new phone. Other companies seem to be doing the same - based on my 'need' for a data package and smart phone. My wife has a fancy phone for our "forced on us" contacts such as verification. We get a dozen unsolicited calls a day that are interruptions and a waste of time. I am thus prevented from having a simple phone because of what others think essential or what marketers feel is necessary to support their hacking. Slow think it is an incredible invention. For me, it is the greatest procrastination device ever created. I disagree with Witch that society is "moving forward" because of electronic technology. Change does not equal progress. I am a very busy person. Every phone call or text is an interruption. I expect any caller to be able to justify why their 'want' is more important than what I am doing at the moment. Send me an Email message or letter. Do not call me with drivel. For the most part GPS equals lazy. Why not plan where you are going before you leave the house. Plus, the directions are not always the best route, nor the safest. How is depending on GPS an advancement of culture? The inability to read a map or know where you are by observation is a step backwards. These devices are a wonderful tool. I am happy to use them when there is a value added for me. The moment one becomes dependent on them it is at a price of less independence, privacy and control of time. So, why am I forced to spend more and more and get less and less of what is important to me?
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
Bobby Forbes Inner circle virginia beach, VA. 1569 Posts |
Consider this for a moment. Your wife and kids are driving to a different state to see a family member. In the middle of the night they blow a tire. Now they are stranded by themselves in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road at 1am. Would be kind of nice for them to have a phone to call for help. I just don't buy the argument they are a waste of time and make things too convenient. Maybe for some who cannot control themselves. But All you have to do is turn the thing off and only use it when you actually need to use it. Heck, keep it turned off and only have it as a last resort. Just having one to stay in contact with your family is worth it especially during an emergency situation.
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Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
Thank you Funsway and Bobby for adding to this dialog. All three of us agree that phones can be useful for emergencies as Funsway mentioned in his post above. In my particular situation, I do not need one however as I’m almost always with someone who has one.
A flip phone for emergencies definitely sounds prudent and it sounds like both Funsway and Bobby have the discipline to use it only when absolutely required, many don’t have this discipline to control themselves. The average American spends 5 hours a day on their cell phones according to this research: https://online.king.edu/news/cell-phone-addiction/ . Very interesting read describing technology as the "new 21st century addiction." I’d be willing to be that most (51% or more) of my uni students are addicted to their cell phones initially based upon this very simple assumption: 1. If students cannot go 90 minutes in class without having alcohol, it might be safe to assume they’re alcoholics. 2. If students cannot go 90 minutes in class without doing a line of coke, it might be safe to assume they’re drug addicts. 3. If students cannot go 90 minutes in class without checking their phones, it might be safe to assume they’re cell phone dependent. Finally, one of my hobbies is birdwatching. My colleagues/friends and I are often so far away from towers that no cell phone reception is even possible so we go old-school with compass and maps. The look on some newbies faces is priceless when, for the 1st time in their life, they're out of range and now "on their own" in nature. |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
A decade ago I was walking with my 90 year plus dad. He paused to watch about twenty kids waiting for a school bus.
Many had a cellphone at their ear. Some had a music player with ear phones. A few were just standing around or sitting under a tree. No one was conversing or playing games or exploring the park. Dad said, "buzz, buzz!" I looked at him quizzically. He asked, "Why do they talk with someone far away when there are interesting people standing at their side?" Then he swept the park with his cane. "They can't even here the music of the clouds and trees." They all boarded the bus and we began picking up the litter they had strewn about. "Buzz, buzz," he muttered. "It must be terrible to be so afraid of living."
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
Cartoonist New user Japan 15 Posts |
Your Dad was very wise indeed funsway. You should consider yourself blessed as I think you already know you are. Thanks for cleaning up after the inconsiderate ones too.
Stories such as yours, and people such as you and your Dad give me hope in the home we call humanity. It's truly tragic when anyone misses out on the here-and-now living humanity, because they are preoccupied with the far-and-away "non-living" technology. My priest at church jokes that people can no longer get manicures, but only pedicures. Parishioners say "why?" He replies, they can't live without a phone in their hand. |
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