telephone

Telephone

by Bob on December 22, 2007

The telephone is a major invention. It is a mixed blessing as are its progeny, the cell phone, instant messaging, email and social interaction networks.

Years ago, back in the 1970s, I had a friend and colleague who did his Ph.D. in Mathematics, at Yale University.

The first time I went to visit his place, we were sitting there talking about science and mathematics, when his phone rang. This was a time before even answering machines were common, let alone caller id and the like.

Well, as it was in those days, seemingly now ancient times, the phone just rang and rang. After several attempts by the caller, I asked the good mathematician why he didn't pick it up.

He said simply: "The phone is there for me, not I for it". The followed with: "I don't feel like picking up the phone now since I am here talking personally with you. Let the person call me back at a more convenient time".

Now that, to me, was an act of courage in an age of technology, and in an age when people jump up, like a lab animal responding to a Pavlovian stimulus, to answer their phone. He remembered a time when phones were there for the convenience of mankind, not the other way around as we have these days.

One might say he was insensitive in not picking the phone up and telling the person he would call them back at a better time. But that wasn't his philosohy since I quieried him about that. He said even picking up the phone was an intrusion of his privacy and personal life, especially with a guest in the house.

So, we, although not neo-Luddites, remembered that the Sabbath Day was made for man, not man for the Sabbath Day, as was written in many holy books.

Today, it is near impossible to find such courageous behaviour. At most, people look at their cell phones or caller id boxes to see who is calling and then decide whether to pick up or not. Actually, this behaviour could be considered more insensitive than the good mathematician's behaviour in not even considering picking it up.

The whole point here is that modern technological devices start off as a helper to mankind, as a subervient class of utilities, and seem to end up dominating mankind's everyday moments, wherein man becomes a slave to the rattling electronic device.

So we wonder if communication was not better off with drums or carrier pigeons. Or paper letters in the mail. And when moving as fast as a snail ensured our health and happiness.

Perhaps we've forgotten that the tortoise always wins against the hare. Or at least doesn't get a heart attack trying to run too fast to go ahead of the hare. He knows he will win, like a civil servant knows his job is forever, although the pay is lower. So he wins too like the tortoise.