Notes From All Over

 

    I’m back to writing after a month of tangling with the new phone, computer and application upgrades- which are not finished. I had trouble getting texts so I called Consumer Cellular and was told to upgrade the phone’s OS --groan, not again. I tried but we discovered my wifi security is weak- the tech was freaking. Wait a minute, you’re worried about someone using my network as a hot spot while our treasury is being looted by a delusional billionaire and some 18 year old hackers? I don’t what the problem is, I was perfectly happy with my old phone and computer system, despite what I’ve been told.

    Today I offer some random notes found in a pile. Enjoy.

    I have a pet peeve about the use of the word girl. All girl bands, the first girl to (fill in the blank) the girl pilot landing an airplane. Grrrr, these are not girls they’re women. We don’t say the boy on the moon, or boy of the hour. It’s not a term of endearment ( which they don’t need) it’s patronizing.

    Corporations accuse the working class of being lazy while big box stores throw merchandise out instead of donating cause it’s too much trouble to pick up the phone and call Goodwill or St. Vinnie’s to get it. Then there are the pickers who collect high end stuff parked on the curb in rich neighborhoods on trash day. To big companies, people—like their cheap ass products-- are commodities to exploit until deemed useless then tossed aside for someone cheaper. What a bunch of wasteful shits.

    This reminds me that planned obsolescence has degraded quality to produce bad taste in everything from houses, clothing to furniture. Things used to be made to last not produced to replace quickly. I’d rather look for something solidly built at a vintage store than buy some tacky crap at Ikea. It may be heavier to move but it will last a lot longer.

    During the pandemic, there were stories of people attacking Asians in misplaced anger that it was their fault. Why? Because the old Chinese lady, store clerks and cashiers at fast food places, are lower on the social pecking order than the attacker, people powerless to challenge the powerful who are the cause of problems. Like comedy one must aim high not low when ridiculing.

    People who are pissed someone spoiled a movie plot, hunt for leaked footage of a film before release. They are akin to those who don’t mind tiktok or facebook robbing their personal data but get indignant if you look at their cell phone sitting on the table.

    Did I mention how much I hate cell phones?

The Devils Device

 

    So I'm walking down the street and someone in the other direction is looking at their phone and not where they are going. I'm waiting for someone to arrive and they don't show up--no follow up, no excuses, nada. I'm at a party and several people are constantly checking their phones instead of engaging in conversation.

    At the risk of sounding like an old fart --which I am--what the hell is wrong with these people and what happened to good manners? Autistic people are often accused of being tactless-- not from want of trying but-- my God. My mother would be appalled at the lack of civil politeness.

    Young people today bemoan their isolation and loneliness--yeah, how often do they interact with people on a daily basis without their cell phones?

    It's easy to blame the devices but the real problem is the egocentric culture that has evolved by design or accident that's causes people to drift apart. It's the addiction to our toys "amusing ourselves to death" as someone said - I forgot who, about modern life. It has corroded social behavior. We exist in a bubble of our own importance where one doesn't have to apologize or explain ones' uncouth behavior. The run on narcissism has to come to an end and not soon enough.

     You want friends to joyfully converse with for hours, be a respectable person, be healthy and alive? Get off your stupid phone and the internet. Use a cell phone (if you have a landline) for travel or emergencies and texting is great for politely informing others when you're running late or can't keep an appointment. Limit time on the computer to allow for exercise, doing projects, writing and shocker, reading a book. Join a club, go to gatherings, go for a walk in the park--anything but look at your device while walking across the street or at the dinner table.

    Please and thank you.