Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Tech-Enabled, Crazy, or Both?

A while back at the wonderful blog Indexed, Jessica posted this card:

If you walk down the street, take public transportation, or visit the average shopping mall, you understand this.

The advent of Bluetooth technology, which allows us to use wireless, hands-free devices, has changed our perceptions of the world and the people around us. There was a time when you saw a person on the street shouting to himself and knew that this was a crazy person and it was time to cross the street or duck into the nearest store. Nowadays, you don't know if that person is crazy and dangerous, crazy and harmless, or just crazy and clueless, living under the happy illusion that a deeply personal conversation carried on with a Bluetooth-enabled phone is actually private.

I enjoy reading on the bus and the Metro train to and from work every day. But one of the unhappy constants of life is that there will, on any given day, be at least one ass clown sharing his business dealings, his plans for the coming evening, or his fight with his girlfriend with me. Not long ago, there was even a clueless idiot who made his hotel reservations at top volume from the train, including sharing his credit card number, expiration date, and security code. I felt like writing it all down and buying myself a new Mercedes on his dime.

So...

If you are one of those Bluetooth-enabled jackwagons who have an irrational desire to share, here are some points to remember:

1. Bluetooth technology does not include a cone of silence that keeps your conversation private...

2. If you want to rant at someone, get a blog. It worked for me.

3. That Bluetooth device may be okay when curled around your ear, but it will be a lot less comfortable when it's been shoved up your left nostril by an angry crowd.

That's all. Thanks for not sharing.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

6 comments:

Amanda said...

LOL! I have a 70 year old friend who just asked me on Sunday what "Bluetooth" meant. I should send her your explanation :)

She doesn't know 'bluetooth' but she does know 'internet'.

Raquel's World said...

I feel the same. I hate bluetooth it just makes people look like an idiot. Them for "talking to themselves" me for answering them thinking they are talking to me.

KathyA said...

I think the blue tooth shouting is just as crazy -- there's something to be said for oblivion.
Wouldn't it have been great if the whole bus had yelled, "THANKS, MAN!" after he'd finished giving all that information.

KathyA said...

PS I think this is why Bose and several other tech places have invented noise blocking headphones. See? The cone of silence lives!

Bilbo said...

Kathy - I own a set of the top-of-the-line Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Worth every dollar I paid!

Mike said...

"felt like writing it all down"

I'm assuming you would have gotten his name and address too. You could have then used all the information to order every infomercial item for him for a week.