Cell Phones for kids

[katya]

I text non-essential stuff, but only when I have something specific to say. I don't like having texting conversations because I get bored and stop replying. I don't even want to start a text conversation because I know I'll have to either say "ok gotta go" after three messages or just leave them hanging. Messages in my outbox starting with most recent (not all verbatim but close):
-sorry have to cancel today
-ok I'll be right over
-yeah thursday is fine
-no problem
-still on for today?
-thank you
-send my sheet music yet?
-sounds good
-i would help them you mean?
-can i email you? are you by a computer?

etc.

I don't think kids need unlimited texting. But it's really convenient. I prefer texts over phone calls for simple messages like the above.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

It's really true. To many people today in the Western world, things like running water, showers, laundry machines, etc. seem like the essentials of life, which we could not do without it. It's mind-boggling to think about what living without them would have been like.

Yeah Im still not sure where people got money before ATM's. I vaguely remember something about standing in line at the bank when I was very young...

And how did people make microwave popcorn in the middle ages?!

[katya]

I wonder a lot about refrigeration. I was reading a book where they got milk out of the cupboard. I was like... what?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

They do that in Russia. They have cheap milk, which is chemicalled-up so it doesn't need to refrigerated, and is absolutely disgusting. The potable/refrigerated milk is usually either from a local village, or imported.

[EllethValatari]

Originally Posted by katya

I wonder a lot about refrigeration. I was reading a book where they got milk out of the cupboard. I was like... what?

Well they also had ice-boxes. My dad had one as a kid...ever seen Meet Me in St. Louis? Oh dear, now that song is stuck in my head...

[Tessar]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

If you have unlimited texting (and so many kids do) then at least 95% of your texts are non essential. And I dont for a second believe ANYONE who tells me they ONLY text when its absolutely necessary. If we are given the ability to text we will text for any reason at all. Human psychology is way to powerful to resist that slippery slope. If you give stuff to people eventually they will convince themselves they absolutely need it to function. We are all weak in that way *he said while playing on the internet*

You're right, I do definitely text the infrequent non-essential text, but honestly except for maybe some text message jokes, I use my text messaging very rarely. Mind you I do not have unlimited texts, but I have like... 300. I rarely use more than 30-50 in a month, and that's mostly used when I have rehearsals. It is handy to send stuff like, "Do you know what scenes/arias we're doing tonight?"

But it's also fun to text things like, "OMG, just saw fat person in muffin top t-shirt, am scarred for life, lol rofl and whatnot."

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by Tessar

You're right, I do definitely text the infrequent non-essential text, but honestly except for maybe some text message jokes, I use my text messaging very rarely. Mind you I do not have unlimited texts, but I have like... 300. I rarely use more than 30-50 in a month, and that's mostly used when I have rehearsals. It is handy to send stuff like, "Do you know what scenes/arias we're doing tonight?"

But it's also fun to text things like, "OMG, just saw fat person in muffin top t-shirt, am scarred for life, lol rofl and whatnot."

You know you want a piece of that, but I just want to dance.

[BeardofPants]

Originally Posted by katya

I wonder a lot about refrigeration. I was reading a book where they got milk out of the cupboard. I was like... what?

UHT milk. It's actually quite nummy.

[The Gaffer]

Originally Posted by katya

I wonder a lot about refrigeration. I was reading a book where they got milk out of the cupboard. I was like... what?

My wife's parents used to have a "cold cupboard" when she was a kid. They had no fridge. There was a grill over an opening to the outside so it was, er, a cold cupboard. Especially in winter.

[katya]

It wasn't UHT milk- according to wikipedia that was invented in the '60s. This novel took place in 1920's England (it was Lady Chatterly's Lover). A cold cupboard, maybe. But what about in the summer? And where do they get ice for ice boxes? I think I remember something about a way to make ice stay ice for longer but I can't remember. Anyway I see I've somewhat hijacked this thread..

But getting back to what we were saying about technology that we take for granted, I didn't have a cell phone until college, and I got along fine without one. Then, once I had it, it was the end of the world if I lost it for a day (it doesn't help that I don't have a house phone). Then I lost it for a month (or more like it was broken), and after a while I kind of liked not having it. After that, I stopped being so good about remembering to have my phone with me, on, etc. And I stopped using it as much. It has stayed that way. Unfortunately, that didn't work for the internet. I was happy without it (when we first moved to this house) but now I have it I'm back to the old habits.

Another thing I found interesting about electronics, and I've thought about this quite a bit myself, is something I read in an interview with Thich Nhat Hahn:

Originally Posted by thich nhat hahn

There are a number of scientific studies showing the negative effects of [kids being surrounded by so much technology constantly].

I have seen that one of the biggest drawbacks to relying on electronics as a primary refuge - the place we go to be entertained, to feel "good" - is that we end up feeling not happier, but actually less happy. Electronics can be a constructive tool when used mindfully; but so often we use electronic media and games to distract ourselves from uncomfortable feelings like anxiety, depression, anger, loneliness, boredom, etc. We use media in an attempt to cover over the painful feelings inside us, to fill up the feeling of a void in our lives.

What happens when we habitually run away from what's going on inside us and in our relationships, though, is that we end up becoming even more alienated and sad. A lot of TV shows, music and games out there can be quite toxic, watering seeds of craving, fear and violence in us. Yes, life and relationships can be challenging at times; but the more we habitually rely on electronics (just as with drugs, or mindless eating) to numb ourselves to what's happening, the more our problems will persist and proliferate.

That's not to say that we should sit around obsessing and ruminating over our problems, either. Meditation - sitting quietly, calming the activities of our body and mind, and enjoying feeling our aliveness as the breath moves in and out - is the most effective way to clear our mind and make a breakthrough in whatever places we're feeling stuck.

This, in my case, does not apply to Entmoot, but does apply to Facebook, news sites like Reddit, and just any time when I look to the internet to cure my boredom or sadness. That's pretty much why I quit Facebook a second time, and why I no longer use an iPhone. You want it, but it doesn't make you happy. (Facebook and things are different for everyone though.)

[Alec]

I agree with most of you and think it all depends on the situation. If you were to have to go out for...something like instrument lessons and they could go overtime it would be a good Idea. But just because "everyone" else has it or just to text meaningless things. Texting is also a problem with cyber-bulling. I also think unlimited is unhelpful. With unlimited you get the feeling that you can text all you want useless or not. This feeling makes you do it more often. If you have a limit that restricts you than you are less likely to send useless junk and save those text messages for more useless things.

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

I think the phone companies should make it easier for the parents to restrict use and even track texts and calls remotely. If they knew their parents were getting every text that they were sending and receiving they would sure have second thoughts about who they are talking to and what they are saying to them...

I think that is a really great Idea
I also think that phones are doing too much these days. Their more of a computer than a phone nowadays. There a lot of kids that waste there time on stupid apps. There is this app that I heard of is that you have a app that has 1 egg on it you tap the 1,000,000 times the egg hatches it says you win and than you start over again. That is the kind of stupid things that kids spend their time on nowadays!!!
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I think this is my longest post EVER!!!