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Can you do without.....

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I have a confession to make, I do not own a cell phone. It almost makes me feel guilty to say that. I answer the phone if it is convenient for me to do so. In fact I do not own an Ipod, PDA or whatever the gadgets are. The last game I ever played on a computer was a Black screen with a tennis game.

I also have to confess that I am the wrong side of 50.

I guess that a lot of this forum are young (ish) (this is relevant)

My wifes children cannot stand the thought of being away from any form of communication at all. They have this almost uncanny ability to answer the phone before it even rings. The youngest is from the car to messenger within 5 seconds flat! I could go on but I am sure you get the message.

I would like to ask the question in general, how long do you think you could stay away from any form of communication. Emergencies are different and I have to admit that I do like the idea of carrying a cell phone for such cases.

Just one other question, how long could you spend in total silence :D

Some of the answers may give me a greater understanding of our lot.

Thanks
 
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I own a cellphone (my wife makes me)
an ipod touch (cause it's just cool)


but I like backpacking, camping, hiking, generally spending time well away from all the things that are civilization (save for my camp stove, which I'd do without and just have a fire if I could)


but I'm also pushing 40 ;)
 
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Communication: I have gone for extended periods of time before (more than 2 days) but I feel very out of touch.

Silence: I meditate everyday for at least 30 min. Sometimes I like silence also in general. There are times when I turn off the music in the car and just listen to the wind, it's relaxing.

It is definitely different for the younger generations. We grew up always being connected, and there isn't anything wrong with that. It's just different. I teach classes online (undergraduate level), work from home, have messages from servers sent instantly to my blackberry .... it's just my life. My fiance sometimes makes fun of me because I am overly connected ..... I am just a geek like that!

The funny thing is, my dad is now 62, and he is every bit as connected as I am. I don't think age so much matters (although I would argue that younger is easier because you grew up with it) as much as willingness to change with the world. We are a global, connected world now. Just like television and radio connected our tiny nation, so now the net and other devices connect us faster, and to a wider audience. Don't get me wrong, it is healthy to disconnect every once in a while, I love nature, I dive, surf, snowboard etc., but there is no reason to be a technological hermit either (not saying you are, just making a point). There is just something inherently neat about my dad being halfway around the world and emailing me pictures from his blackberry.

(Just for reference I am 25)

:)
 
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Technically I own a cellphone. I have many Palm Treos but all of them are not connected to any network. I have many Palm PDAs as well. I do not have a ipod though. I don't IM, but unfortunately I am completely addicted to my email and check it every 5-10 minutes. I am 26.
 
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I have a confession to make, I do not own a cell phone. It almost makes me feel guilty to say that. I answer the phone if it is convenient for me to do so. In fact I do not own an Ipod, PDA or whatever the gadgets are. The last game I ever played on a computer was a Black screen with a tennis game.
I also have to confess that I am the wrong side of 50.

No such thing! :D

I guess that a lot of this forum are young (ish) (this is relevant). My wife's children cannot stand the thought of being away from any form of communication at all. They have this almost uncanny ability to answer the phone before it even rings. The youngest is from the car to messenger within 5 seconds flat! I could go on but I am sure you get the message.
I would like to ask the question in general, how long do you think you could stay away from any form of communication. Emergencies are different and I have to admit that I do like the idea of carrying a cell phone for such cases.
Just one other question, how long could you spend in total silence :D
Some of the answers may give me a greater understanding of our lot.

I almost empathise with what I think you're saying. I live rural most of the time, and the one thing I value above all else is peace and quiet. Sure, I make noise when it's necessary - mower, chainsaw, stereo - but I cannot nor could I tolerate perpetual noise - particularly the chatter of human voices - like I hear in the city and some suburbs where I stay on occasions. But no, I don't think I could live in total silence for very long.

Technology dependency is another matter and I would find it difficult now, even at nearly 60 years of age, to do without my computer and stereo for information and entertainment - but I could do without phone calls for much of the time. I cannot understand people who rush to answer the phone, no matter what.

I finally relented and bought a mobile phone late last year. That was because I came across a bad car accident, and the only one of the 5 persons on the scene had a mobile phone - the badly injured passenger - and we couldn't get to it. That decided me. However, I do use text messaging quite a lot because it's not intrusive.

I have a friend of similar age who twitches nervously if his mobile doesn't ring for more than about five minutes. He will then reach for the infernal instrument and check the screen to see if he's missed any inward calls. He will do this repeatedly over the course of an hour or so, by which time I will have had enough and left. If his phone does ring, I sneak quietly away because further attempt at social interaction is futile. I find that very sad.

I do not own a television, and have not done so for more than 25 years. I gave away a tv given to me by someone who feared for my mental and emotional stability if I didn't watch (what I think is) much of the garbage masquerading as either serious or frivolous entertainment. However I do watch tv if I happen to be residing in the same house as one. Pobody's nerfect!
 
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My job on occasion force me to remove all communication from my daily routine. It's usually no more than a day or two but I have gone as long as 30 days with no TV, Internet, Cell Phone etc. That doesn't mean that computer games and DVDs are not available though for entertainment it just means you are inaccessible to the outside world.

You miss it for the first day or two and then it sort of becomes normal and seems unimportant. Eventually you get used to it and when you get it back you feel somewhat overwhelmed by it all. It's odd to pick up your cell phone after several weeks of not having it with you or having used it.

Total Silence? Probably 24 hours or so.

All of that being said, having teenagers has made me a wiz at chat, text and the like. You want to know what they are doing, you have to adapt. It's a scary world out there these days and kids do a LOT of stupid stuff that I would never have imagined doing when I was a teen, or even now. I'm still on the right side of 50 (as you put it) but not by much. Heck, I didn't own my first computer until I was 30.
 
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I cannot be without drama and bull rubbish. Yes it follows me everywhere so I can't live without it. I can't even get out of my bed without it! :D
 
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Sad to say. but i can't go a second. my pocket feels empty without my phone.

and before iPhone I used to turn back and get my phone if i only picked up my ipod.

I have unlimited txts so I am always texting.

and as soon as in the house, laptops open and by the time I have unlocked my screensaver. my MSN is signed in.

So I'm pretty dependent and can't go long for quiet, If someone doesn't usually reply quickly on messenger, i generally re-ask question.

gosh I'm bad haha
 
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My wifes children cannot stand the thought of being away from any form of communication at all. They have this almost uncanny ability to answer the phone before it even rings. The youngest is from the car to messenger within 5 seconds flat! I could go on but I am sure you get the message.

I would like to ask the question in general, how long do you think you could stay away from any form of communication. Emergencies are different and I have to admit that I do like the idea of carrying a cell phone for such cases.

Just one other question, how long could you spend in total silence :D

Some of the answers may give me a greater understanding of our lot.

Thanks

We live in a fast paced, technological world. Generation Y grew up being connected since a young age and some times take it for granted. I'm guilty on all counts when it comes to being "connected" all the time. If I don't have the internet for a day I feel "lost" and "disconnected."

I don't know any phone numbers off the top of my head. If you asked what my mom and dad's cell phone number is, I couldn't tell you. I know it's speed dial number 5 and 6 though! I believe most people are like that and that is really sad. I've become so dependent on a gadget. If I lose my phone, all the phone numbers/data are lost as well. Now with smart phones becoming more mainstream. Blackberries, push email, syncing calendars, internet, etc are taking over the world!!

I also use my phone as my mp3 player and have unlimited text messages. I get sports updates from espn and a weather updates from weather.com. I also get email alerts when i get a new email. However, I do not have the internet on my phone because I sit in front of a computer all day at work, like i am now :D, and have my macbook when i get home. It would be pointless for me to pay for internet on my phone.

Cell phone companies are pushing towards offering tv on cell phones, which I think is utterly ridiculous. It's bad enough that people talk/text while driving, can you imagine people trying to watch tv?! Let alone sitting next to someone in public while they are watching Jerry Springer or Oprah..

[rant] I hate it when people disclose all sorts of "personal" information while on the phone. I don't want to hear about your friends b/f cheating on them or what you're having for dinner. I hate when people can over hear my conversation and I always try to be courteous of other people. [/rant]

With that being said, I probably could last maybe a day or 2 without internet. i could do without my phone because no one ever calls me, but the internet is a completely different story. All the info you could ever want is on the net. So tehnically it's silence, except for the sound of the keyboard and the click of a mouse ;)
 
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I'm 21 and I can;t stay off my Blackberry when I have it in my possesion but when it's broken or off for some reason I am fine... so I could do without it. It's actually a breath of fresh air sometimes because I feel free.
 
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i used to not be able to last very long at all, but then i lost the internet for about 10 months. i have never had a cellphone longer then a month, i never have a use for it. but i can go weeks without any communication at all and be fine (provided i have something to do). but i'm rather a fan of silence, and "prefer my own company".
i'm 17.
 
Joined
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27 ,Gotta have my iphone on me at all times.
 
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My iPhone was stolen. It feels like I've lost a leg.
 
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I have a Motorola Q that is tied to my Lotus Notes server and also acts as a tether for my MBA when WiFi is unavailable. I do not get many phone calls or texts but receive a fair number of E-Mail messages. But I must admit I am a news junkie and spend a lot of time online keeping up with current events. I am 49.
 
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I have a Motorola Q that is tied to my Lotus Notes server and also acts as a tether for my MBA when WiFi is unavailable. I do not get many phone calls or texts but receive a fair number of E-Mail messages. But I must admit I am a news junkie and spend a lot of time online keeping up with current events. I am 49.

I have a Moto Q as well. I have the original Q and I hear the Q9 and Q9M's are a lot better. I'm happy with mine other than the fact that it runs windoze mobile.

Oh, I guess I should mention I am 25.
 
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I have a phone on me most times. We call them mobiles and not cells here in Australia. And I only have it so I can send an sms or two and get work related calls. I'm lucky if I'd use about $10 worth of credit a month.

And once about 2-3 years ago I think it was I went on one of those personal development camp things. And for part of it we each had to go into the bush and live in an area they gave us for 3 days. And this was also with no phones, watches, electronic equipment of any kind and just enough food to get us by. And lastly I only had a tarp and ropes for shelter. Tents were not allowed.

I thought I would hate it being a city slicker as I am. But I didn't find it all that bad. I did write a lot though. A lot of reflective stuff. And thought a lot too.

Well that was a pretty pointless story. But that with the fact I live alone and have for most of my life, well I can survive alone. I find it easier to do things alone than with others. Well I'm no hermit but I think I'm just used to living life on my own without anyone elses help.
 
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i cant go without my 2 phones. My iphone for personal use and my blackberry thats tied to my bussiness email. I would be screwed if i lost or left either one anywhere, i would loose a crap load of sales.
 
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I'm pretty young and I never had a cell phone until 6 months ago when my brother added me to his plan ($10/month). I've never had a ipod or any of the other electronic gizmos that people carry around. The last gaming system I had was a Nintendo64. I got a digital camera last year. :eek:

I've just never been into new technology. I'd prefer something like playing basketball, spending time on the beach or working on a car rather than spending hours and hours learning about some new gadget.
 

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