Remember what it was like before cell phones?

Recently, I destroyed my smart phone. The built in memory maxed out in less than 6 months, so I couldn't really download new apps or updates, and most new models don't allow you to transfer apps to memory cards anymore. I'm convinced they do this so that you have to upgrade more frequently. I don't play that game. I used my phone until it was so slow that I put it out of its misery with the closest blunt surface within my reach. It was a therapeutic move on my part.

I've been without a phone now for almost 2 weeks now. No social media during my breaks. No calls or texts to break my concentration. All social media and email stuff is now reserved for the end of the day.

This has been one of the most liberating experiences I've had in a long time. I really did not realize how much stress was bleeding into my life from my phone. I don't like the idea of just constantly being available for time wasting conversations, scam calls, grocery lists, etc.

Remember what it was like before cell phones? Back in the day, people used answering machines. Today, traffic doesn't even move because 99.9% of my city's population are glued to their phones. We are becoming post-human machines.

I hope a solar flare knocks out all cellular communication for a good 90 day. People need to reconnect with reality.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Remember what it was like before cell phones? Back in the day, people used answering machines. Today, traffic doesn't even move because 99.9% of my city's population are glued to their phones. We are becoming post-human machines. I hope a solar flare knocks out all cellular communication for a good 90 day. People need to reconnect with reality.

Yes vividly. I'm one of those people that is not glued to my cell phone and it drives my friends crazy. Some people get irate when you don't answer a message in three minutes. There are times my phone is dead for a week.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest
Agree. It got a annoying habit into some people that they check their phones during conversations. I know when it was said to me that I should not walk around with headphones because it is rude.

Still not thinking it is rude but I kind of understand the "disconnect from society" thought in it. I now think the same about those who constantly have their mobile phone out.

Since I have a smartphone I observed that about myself, too, having the phone around.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Did you have an iPhone?

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Some people felt that ignorance was lack of access to information.
Today we have information at our fingertips and people are more ignorant than ever.

Jenny on Facebook told me that...

I remember those days. Pay phone tricks were fun. Today we need cell phones in case of emergencies.
I wonder how many lives cell phones have saved since they came around?
But yeah to much of a good thing and all that.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Watch Stranger Things. It takes place in the 80s. It's awesome!

a reply to: trollz

It was a ZTE. I think iphones are overpriced.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I learned a great deal of basic Hebrew grammar from my phone, for free. It did have its uses, but its a really slippery slope when it comes to social media. Of coarse, its everyone's individual responsibility to avoid addictions, but most people aren't that responsible. To my own shame, even I let my phone become a bad habit. I don't think phones should be regulated, but I'm still praying for that CME. I think society would ultimately benefit from a little down time.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

If we get a big CME, cell phones would be the least of our problems.
Mass starvation would probably kill billions.

But yeah, people choose what they do with their smartphones.
Usually it's entertainment.

a reply to: dfnj2015

I love that show, but it also makes me feel like I'm getting old. lol

Yes, being without your mobile tracking device is quite liberating isnt it?? I killed my at home internet though, so I can only get my information when I go to a local hotspot with the phone. I still leave it behind when we go to parks and beaches and stuff though. Movies too. I do like to record video at the paintball field though. I kind of miss my streaming music, but I have a cd player in the car and remembered I have some nice piano melodies on cd.

At least now that the city has grown there are plenty of options on the radio as well. Nice to have a taste of the nineties back in my life.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I see people crossing busy streets without even looking up from their phone. I don't understand that.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Maybe just a happy CME, something Bob Ross would approve of. That would be nice.

I have had a few smart phones now. Three have been stolen from me if you can believe it. I've been without a smart-phone now for about 2 years, maybe 1 1/2 years. I don't miss it at all.

I did have a cheap amazon fire 7" I bought on a sale for around $25, bought 4 of them for the entire family. I'm the only one ended up using mine. Everyone else sold theirs to someone else, liked their smart phones better.

About a 3 months ago I had a very close friend from Virginia invite my kids with him for the summer (my oldest turned 18). Took 'em anywhere they wanted to go for 3 weeks on the east coast. They toured mostly Washington D. C. and New York, vistiting all kinds of muenems, etc. A really good time.

Anyway I digress. When they came back they had a gift he sent me, a brand new IPad. Wow, it's a lot faster than the Fire. I use my tablet mostly for the JW Library app. I use it to study the Bible every day, and read. Oh, I just love it. And I like the Facetime App which I actually use to communicate with my family and friends got 'em all added.

If you want a cheap and good tablet that is a little slow I recommend the $25 Amazon fire 7", they have a 10" version which is I think $100. But if you wait for the Amazon day sales which I think are on July 15th you can get 'em for $80, or wait for Black Friday sales.

I know tablets are kinda going out of style for smartphones. But I still only use mine for reading, and for watching video. And for that I prefer a larger tablet. I don't care much about taking pictures, and having the best camera software etc. My wife and kids are into that.

If you're like me I would recommend a cheap Amazon Fire tablet. And if you get the fortune a new IPAD is, oh really nice. Fast, good looking screen. Can't complain. Get a good cover, and read an article online about preserving the lifetime of your battery.

Never want to let the battery run down below 50%. At 0% the ion batteries will lose all charge and not be able to charge again. So if your battery runs out, be sure to charge it soon. If storing a tablet for a long period of time leave it at around 50% charge. And don't expose battery to extremes in temperature, hot or cold which can lower the battery life. An Ipad life-cyle is about 10,000 cycles. I read Apple considers a cycle to be to run down to about 50% then back to 100%. But I don't know for sure if that's true.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

I am actually doing an experiment, i refuse to buy a smartphone because it is ridiculous how enforced they have become.

Already having trouble with postal services and bank services, because everything is so smart and has an app.

I wonder how long i can keep this up.

a reply to: solve

Well, I find that if I simply refuse to play society's games, it tends to confuse everything. It stirs up chaos, which is ideal for "solve et coagula". It's worked out well for me. Simply step out of the game.

Remember what it was like before cell phones?

No?

a reply to: solve
what? How are you having trouble with either, neither require the use of apps to function. I literally sent out two checks last week to reshuffle credit accounts, in the mail. You slap some stamps on the envelope, and drop it off at the mailbox.

Likewise, you either step up to an atm, or speak to the teller. How is it possible any of this could have gone awry without a phone?

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
I really did not realize how much stress was bleeding into my life from my phone. I don't like the idea of just constantly being available for time wasting conversations, scam calls, grocery lists, etc.

That's why I always have the 'do not disturb' function turned on... if anyone wants to contact me, they can leave a message or text and if I feel like it, I might eventually get back to them.

But anyway, I had to catch a train into the city during peak hour awhile back and I remember just looking around and seeing all these people commuting to work, nearly every single one of them were glued to their phone screen, just tapping away... It just kind of blew my mind, because just 20 years ago it could've been a scene from some futuristic scifi movie.