General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why Cell Phones Went Dead After Hurricane Sandy - horrifying. [View all]SheilaT
(23,156 posts)Some people I know treat me as if I'm mentally deficient to have both a land line and a cell phone. As far as I'm concerned, each one has its place.
I got my first cell phone almost twenty years ago when twice in less than two weeks my younger son was sick at school and needed to go home. I was a stay at home mom, which is a misnomer if there ever was one. At least the women, moms, who work can be reliably found at their place of work. Both of those times I was out doing something or another. Fortunately, my back-up mom was reachable both times and took son in.
What I mostly used the cell phone for in the early years was various kinds of non-routine things, or if I was on the road. Over time, I've gotten so I use it more and more, like most people. But I still keep the land line, and tell people to call me on that, because I can always hear much better on it.
Someone once pointed out that it's not since about the 1930's have people been on the phone saying, "Can you hear me now?"
And I think you have really nailed it about the naked consumerism and the urge to acquire the latest shiny thing.