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[at-l] Cell Phones -- Perception
At 02:04 PM 1/17/2005 -0500, Bob C wrote:
> >"...Perhaps phones get too much of the blame. ? Still, I can't figure
> out why so
>many fail to see how their wide-spread presence changes (at least a bit) the
>wonderfull feeling of isolation that the woods can provide," note rick b.
>
>That of course is the crux of the problem with cell phones -- for both
>those who carry them and those who just know they are present. The
>presence of cell phones -- instant communication with the outside world --
>damages a bit of the wildness that some seek on trails. Yes. Cell phones
>occasionally save lives. But cell phones also diminish lives. The trade
>off is between an occasional life saved and the millions of lives
>diminished. Many of those with diminished lives don't really know that
>their lives have been diminished, because they have yet to experience
>wildness, and increasingly, as civilization intrudes on the last of the
>wild places, sadly, they never will.
>
>Weary
"Millions" of lives diminished because of cell phones? Get real. What you
are talking about here is attitude. Lincoln said "most people are as happy
as they decide to be". I think he had it right. As I just finished
explaining to Steve off-list, I have a cell phone because it comforts my
wife (it's her phone actually) to have me carry it. She's happier when I
remember to take it with me because she thinks I'm safer even if I'm not,
I'm happier because I know she's not worrying unnecessarily, so who's life
is diminished and how? You?, because I've told you I have it, and you are
now aware of it's presence? If you let your life be diminished because
someone else has/uses a cell phone, that is *your* problem resulting from
*your* attitude. No one controls your attitude but you. As for a sense of
isolation, that's why there is an OFF button. Hit that button and it just a
hunk of plastic and metal.
A cell phone is just another piece of equipment that some find useful and
others don't. You want a true wilderness experience? Take you next trip
with just what you have on your back. Build you fire by rubbing sticks
together, make a shelter by leaning limbs against a tree and covering it
with leaves, find your way by the moon and the stars instead of taking map
and compass. It's all just tools to reduce risk to life and limb guys,
whether it is adequate clothing, a sleeping bag & tent or a gas stove.
People do stupid things with all those. I know, I've been out there and
seen some of those stupid things, especially with stoves. Some of us have
done stupid things. Cell phone conversations destroy the quiet sense of
wilderness? What about the jet plane noise of gas stoves? ***It's just a
tool.*** The trees don't care if you make a cell phone call to your
significant other, why should I? In 10 or 20 years the cell phone will be
old-hat and they will invent some new geegaw that you can get all stirred
up over. The world changes. That's life.