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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.