Thursday 7 May 2009

United I stand

Silence is golden after all. The mobile phone has been firmly shut away in my drawer for one month now, and with no calamities to speak of. No piercing shrieks in the morning from the built-in alarm clock. Daylight wakes me now.

The occasions where I've needed to call someone, or have someone call me, I set aside some time when I was ready, and made or took the call in the comfort of my chambers.

People have often tried to get hold of me urgently for various reasons, but have had to either work it out themselves or call someone I'm with. Both ways are prime examples of devolved responsibility. I feel entirely comfortable with this new, albeit, minor freedom, and intend on continuing in this fashion.

My father on the other hand, a man of reasonably advanced years, who has written hand letters well into the 90s, and typed letters on Word Processors well into the 00s (all in capitals I might add) is now telling me he wants to "get on the net".

As I slowly turn away from the vulgarities of the 21st century he'd spoken of my whole life, he sees the false light of global communication as a portal to a more fulfilling world.

I was so ready to embrace him. To pen a letter on parchment with quill and squid ink, and ecstatically confirm "Dad, you were right! You were right all along!".

Who now will clasp me to their bosom in solidarity? United I stand. Alone.

2 comments:

mijori23 said...

Sounds like you're folding into yourself mate. As a work colleague, I have been concerned how you seem to be becoming less engaged in the day to day. I don't know what's up, but if you ever want to talk I'm just one desk away.
Some idealistic stand against mobile communications and the trappings of modern life is so Rousseau. There's something deeper going on. Let's talk.

m

Marmaduke Dando Hutchings said...

If only there were something deeper, I should be grateful of the prestige!

Nothing to worry about Mike, though I appreciate your concerns. There are some things in life that one doesn't need to subscribe to. For me at the moment, it's a mobile telephone.

I'm sure you too have your own issues with various techological fads?