The Times Are Changing (Cell Phones)

I realize I'm only 23 and 1/2. But I've seen a lot change these past few years. Being the first generation to grow up with computers and cell phones as a mainstream product has probably been the biggest change.

A couple of months ago, I saw cell phone commercials advertise getting a new cell phone for your loved one. Such a thing would not have even been thinkable in the 50's. Usually the woman would get a box of chocolates and some flowers with a note that read "I hope you don't mind me getting you pregnant after you make me dinner." I suspect there were plenty of families in that time where all of the kids had confusing November birthdays. If you had a good relationship with your wife that didn't involve beating her with a switch no thicker than the size of your thumb (hence the "rule of thumb") you might have opted to get her some jewelery instead.

There was a time when cell phones were for rich and important people like the president or douchebag stockbrokers who talked loudly at your favorite restaurant. My parents were the first on in the area to have a cell phone. I always thought as a kid, that in the future, phones would have games and other useful purposes. I was only half right. Most of the purposes my phone serves is moderately convenient at best. I can text people instead of having a real conversation. I can play games instead of paying attention. I can surf the web anywhere instead of just finding something else to do wherever I am.

In high school, cell phones were really taking off. My friend had one of the first color phones on the market. It was the coolest thing ever. I refused to text because I thought it was stupid. Now its just a daily function and a word ingrained in my daily vocabulary. And picture phones, who saw that coming? Not me. Sure there is plenty of times I thought "I wish I had a camera right now." But integrating a phone with a camera is nothing short of genius and stupidity at the same time. As a society we can now send embarrassing photos at the speed of light so everyone can bask in the humiliation of your closest friends. We can now take pictures in an instant for updating, blackmail, and for sexual purposes as the kids are doing nowadays. We can do anything our laptops can do in the palm of our hand.

Being impersonal through a text has never been so easy. Finding information when you need has never been so easy. It's only a matter of time before my future kids get chips implanted in their brain where they can do everything our phones do, in their head. Our cell phones will be old school, just like our pants, haircuts and phrases.

Ah yes, the times are changing. Changing, indeed.