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Laramie's avatar

I've definitely reflected on how the phone/map has caused me to become generally less oriented. I lived in LA for 25 years and started my time there using one of the road atlases (the local there was called the Thomas Guide). You definitely learned where things were. You had to. I moved to a new city 7 years ago, post smartphone. Not only do I not know the streets, but I don't even know most of the neighborhoods and suburbs around this city. And that's after 7 year. About the only thing I can find without the phone is the grocery store, the airport and work, haha.

Another thing we've forgotten is phone numbers. When I was a kid, you'd memorize at least 100 or so. Now, I couldn't even tell you my kids' phone numbers. The only ones I still remember are some of the pre-smartphone numbers, even the one at our house growing up. Strange how those things become imprinted.

But, I do no social media. A comments section like this is as close as I get. Well, this and Discord, haha.

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ThePossum's avatar

I'm reading this in late March of 2023, the day, incidentally that Donald Trump was indicated for some as-yet to be revealed crime against humanity, like paying a stripper to keep her mouth and her legs shut. We have entered the undiscovered country, and here be dragons. Anyone under 45 is particularly susceptible to the dangers of the world described in this piece. Those of us who still refer to, or even prefer, the old ways of knowing have been inoculated against these dangers and dragons, but inevitably we will die out. Hopefully those who have come after us won't hasten the process. Thanks for a thoughtful piece.

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