Smart phones have become extensions of ourselves. If we misplace or loose or our phone is stolen we panic! Should it turn out to be lost forever, we probably mourn it because our lives are contained in these devices which have a mind of their own!
This morning there were in the news two stories related to smart phones:
The first referred to Selena, the famous tennis player, who while in a restaurant, placed her phone on the table. A quick thinking guy grabbed it and ran away, but hey, he messed with the wrong gal! Selena, the story continued, run after the thief and low and behold, caught him in no time and took possession of her phone. Great story!
The second story in the news today was about Google making the lives of their gmail users even easier than it already is.
They will prioratize the emails one receives in their box and get this, GIVE THE PERSON several options to reply! Multiple choice! The stated reason was that for people having small devices it is difficult to type.
Today’s technological revolution in which one either joins or is left out, and who wants to be left out, reminds me of a business I had many years ago, called “Affairs of the Heart.” My idea was to write “real love letters” for busy people and send them to their neglected but otherwise loved ones.
As part of my promotional strategy, I was holding workshops before Professional Singles’ Dances. During these workshops, I was underlining the benefits of sending a real letter and flowers after having a first date with a woman you really liked, but your business forced you to leave town immediately after the date, before having time to communicate to her how much you enjoyed meeting her.
I presented the audience sample letters they might receive after imaginary first dates with a busy professional man forced to leave town immediately after a first date:
“Which would you rather receive after a first fun date,” I asked one of the participants, a nurse in a prenatal unit, I was convinced her choice was going to be my carefully crafted letter expressing respect and love!
She read the letter, and said:
” To be honest, I’d be happy if he called me next time he were in town!”
That was the end of Affairs of the Heart and the lesson I learned was that we will be treated the way we allow people to treat us and sadly, the age of romance and showing respect seemed to be gone! Looking back, I also conclude that I might have been ahead of my time…
Twenty years after y fiasco of Affairs of the Heart, we are given multiple choices on a smart phone screen on all aspects of our lives and it is part of the new normal.
I continue to believe in “laughter is best therapy,” and would like to try and leave the readers of this post smiling…here is the story of a voice activated feature on a sart phone:
I understand and use technology to the degree required to “survive” in a system in which everything is done online. That being said, I must have pressed the wrong button and suddenly, activated “voice activated system” on my phone!
“You could ask me anything!” the system stated.
I was mute! I had no idea how to turn it off, as I didn’t wish to ask anything!
I randomly pressed buttons but IT insisted:
“For example, you could ask me, ” WHO IS OBAMA.”
Really, really? Does my profile say I am an idiot?
In a moment of desperation I turned the phone off and restart this annoying extension of myself who has such a low opinion of me!
Hmm… makes me wonder if this is good for self esteem:)
If you have smart phone experiences, please share with us!
They are here to stay, but so are WE!
The Nude Truth by Rodica Mihalis 