Recently, I have made a realization that has been in my mind for a few days now. How we used to keep in touch with phones, technology of today VS. memorizing phone numbers from yesterday and the past.
In the 80’s and 90’s and before that in 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, we had paper address books, and as well as a phone numbers list stuck on our fridge doors. Before cell phones, we had to memorize numbers, a huge directory book of phone numbers and contacts would appear in front of our doorstep to find people to call them.
You had to really memorize numbers or else, how else would you be able to contact somebody? Before, it wasn’t easy when people weren’t home and couldn’t contact them until they got home. So people would call a few times. When parties, functions, meetings and all that took place, it would be difficult to let people know they will be late. Calling them at home didn’t make the difference. Sometimes people wouldn’t show up and all night they worry about what happens.
People used to use corded phones to the wall, so they would be stuck in the room and playing with the cord while talking on the phone. I am sure in today’s world, there still are corded phones in the homes because if in case the electricity goes out, you have a backup and also your cell phone. Well until the battery runs out. So I sure hope you remember some phone numbers. It is important.
How did people go without all the technology to communicate? How about when there was no caller I.D? Nobody would know who is calling. I think Prank callers had a lot of fun back then using payphones to trick people and annoy them. How about when people used to carry a phone address book with them in their bags?
Nowadays, with smartphones and technology, there is no need to write numbers anymore. People are so connected to their phones and now the art of calling people is slim to none and people are more involved in text messaging so that they can have time to organize their thoughts, instead of speaking directly to someone on the phone. It has become such a norm.
I am pretty sure there are still people in this world today who still recognizes and memorize phone numbers. It is important to have things on paper too, so as if one day your smartphone is on its last mission to serve you, at least you have backup.
Memorize phone numbers that you regularly text and call. Use and address book to put them in. You never know what happens to your phone. You can lose your contact list and then somehow get on a computer to send status messages on Facebook letting people know “I’ve lost all my contacts, please send me your phone numbers again”. I have see and heard about that so many times.
If it ever comes to a point where you need a phone number and cannot remember it on a rainy day, it will actually be really bad.
How many of you remember your friends numbers? Do you know your boyfriend, fiancé, or husbands, or girlfriend, wife, cousins or even your parents numbers by heart? If you do not, then its time you do.
We cannot let technology and contact lists in our phones do all the work for us, that we don’t need to remember anything, its in our phones. Nobody should think that way. People really need to think about it. We need to upgrade our minds and educate it and learn the skill to memorize things.
So, I wouldn’t be so dependent on technology and go for the greater technology we were born with… Our brains. There is nothing that technology has that will even be a fraction or come close to than our brain in our bodies..
Talin Orfali Ghazarian 