By Doctor Cristina Terrado MD
Our wonderful hand-held gadgets entertain, inform, and allow us to communicate. But more and more our lives are increasingly ruled by these gadgets. And it should be the other way around.
Humanity is becoming mentally and physically handicapped as a result. The most obvious is the near physical loss of the use of one hand. And socially, many lose important human interaction due to their obsession with the gadget.
Dining out on a recent night out with my friends, a couple nearby obviously on a date were both so busy with their gadgets that I joked to my friend - they must be texting each other, or worse - texting another boyfriend or girlfriend.
Out of fear for my life, I had to get off a bus because the driver refused to stop texting. I was exasperated when he tried to reason out that it was important despite the fact that he couldn’t stop texting for several miles. I hope he had lots of liability insurance. Unfortunately, we all know people who text and answer their cell phone while behind the steering wheel.
Recent studies have shown the majority of road accidents in the Philippines are now due to texting while driving. American Insurance industry stats show that for the first time accidents caused by texting drivers exceeds that of drunk drivers in the US. I suppose it’s now the case everywhere on this gadget covered planet. A planet we now share with millions of gadgets, robots and drones.
Every day one reads of people falling off cliffs while taking selfies and stepping in front of cars, trucks and even trains while gadgeting. Worse - truck drivers, train engineers and pilots have been observed gadgeting when on the job. In the “sure sign from heaven" department there was the young woman in San Diego California who stepped into a hole full of snakes while gadgeting.
Gadgets do overheat, batteries explode, bedrooms and houses burn down, people get serious burns and scientists suspect the potential of brain damage caused by the holding of cel phones next to our heads over the long term.
The only damage caused by the old rotary dial phones I grew up with was to our heads if someone was mad enough to clonk you with one. Those phones were virtually indestructible and were built to last a lifetime.
The G-virus has hit the home front too. Teens and adults now do housework with one hand while the other hand holds a gadget. If Darwin was right - in a million years humanity will have one arm longer than the other and one hand will be quite different from the other. Perhaps as different as a tentacle and a claw.
Humanity has become physically handicapped and socially challenged thanks to Apple.
I have removed gadgets from my home. Not that my kids drive but they need human interaction more than whatever a gadget can give them. They have their bikes and scooter to ride. They read, they are on swim teams, play basketball, one plays musical instruments and they love video games like boys everywhere in this “modern” world.
I leave my cell phone at home because I know whoever/however important a call is they will call back again when I am home. I enjoy my time outside, uninterrupted. I live in a small town near the sea - it’s peaceful and beautiful and I appreciate the lack of congestion and noise found in the big cities.
I admit I have a cell phone. I only use it for calls. I don’t watch game shows, read mail while walking, text or talk on the gadget while driving, while stirring the soup or when with people accompanying me. That would be impolite. Why should I permit anyone to butt in our conversation while strolling with a friend or spoil my time on the beach with an offer for unlimited calls and text messages?
I miss my dumb phone. Back in the stone age, when you went out the door, the phone remained home alone. And you were outside in the fresh air and sunshine (rain or snow) enjoying life, reveling in reality. You could enjoy sights, sounds, real conversations and ideas without petty interruptions.
Kids today don’t know what a real telephone is. Or was. Life was slower and less stressful before the spread of the gadget virus. And the kids don't get it.
So pox on you Apple. And Samsung too. I will never, ever purchase one of your can't-live-without-it toys regardless of all the features it claims to have. I am perfectly happy with my $10 cel phone that I leave behind on the table when I go out the door.
Try doing the same sometime. It's liberating, and it may save your life and your relationships.
Bless all,
Doctora Christina Carino Terrado MD
Medical & Dental Tourism Patient Adviser
Board Certified Internationale’
www.certifieddentists.org/
Dr. Terrado welcomes your comments and questions
Contact her at: Dr.christina.boardcertified@gmail.com
Just don't try to sell her a gadget. -ed
Posted by Dr. Cristina Terrado at 2:45 AM
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