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THE LAST WORD
FROM THE ASSIST PRESIDENT
I�VE TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE but I think revisiting the issue is in order. The strides we have made with advancing technology have been simply amazing. I would not want to go backwards but I would like to see a little more thought on consequences as we go forward.
It seems to me that all the new technology is focused on all of the neat things it can do. That is natural. We embrace things which will improve our lives. I don�t see as much thought going into what could go wrong. Is the good worth the bad?
We have had cell phones for some time now. How did we live without them? But with them came a level of rudeness not seen before. Phone conversations should be private conversations between you and whoever is at the other end. I really don�t want to hear about all of your adventures if I don�t know you. I would like to eat my meal in peace when I go to a restaurant. I don�t want to hear all about your Uncle Jim.
A few years ago, I was at the Denver airport waiting to catch my flight. I was �trapped� beside a college girl who basically told me her life story. By the time I got on the plane I knew her name, her birthday, where she lived, where she went to school, the car she drove and a whole lot more.
Getting up and moving is not an acceptable solution for two reasons. Going somewhere else would just subject me to those people who are doing the same thing.
Secondly, she is the one who is rude in not keeping her conversation private. She should have gone to a private place to carry on her conversation so as not to impose on anyone.
So now, rudeness now has attained a whole new level. How many times have you been talking with someone face to face and their phone rings �and they answer it? What does that really say? It says the phone call is more important to them then you are. Pressure to answer the phone comes from the caller. They know you have a phone. Why are you not answering?
IN THIS AGE OF INSTANT everything you are expected to answer now. (This apparently does not apply to Keith Oakley, lobbyist extraordinaire). This pressure and/or desire to answer now is pushing what should be private conversations into public one-sided conversations.
We have all heard phones go off right in the middle of a meeting. I saw someone a few years ago actually answer his phone during his sworn testimony before a state agency.
Some of us even have more than one phone. Yes, I�m guilty. Sometime I want to hold up my ASSIST phone to my office phone and let them talk to each other. But my personal phone would get jealous. And don�t get me started on ring tones.
WELL, RUDENESS IS BAD enough, but distraction is downright dangerous. We have discussed for many years the danger of driving a vehicle while distracted. Now we have texting added to the mix. This is truly a dangerous situation-much like a DUI, in my opinion. Yet, some people seem to think they don�t have to look at where their 4,000 pound vehicle is going for a few seconds.
I think we are at a point where people�s willpower fails them. It�s like a little child with a bunch of candy in front of him. The parent has said �Don�t eat it all or it will be bad for you and your tummy will hurt.� But the child eats it all anyway because it was there.
This is where access or availability hurts, not helps. If the phone was not in the vehicle then only lesser distractions would have to be dealt with. This distraction is so bad because it is so consuming. Now, I�m not suggesting no phones in vehicles. I�m just saying when they invented these great things did they really think of all of the consequences?
It�s probably a good idea to start developing a cell phone policy if you haven�t done so already. Much like internet accessibility, if you tell them they aren�t allowed to do it, but its right there in front of them, the temptation may be too great. Instead, allow for specific times or situations where phone use is ok (even personal calls) like maybe on a break or when no other activity could cause a danger.
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