'Smart' Phone Burn Out

There's an interesting trend starting to unfold.  It's still in a sort of infancy and could go away fairly quick, but there's a small anti-smartphone kind of movement developing.  It's hard to remember that smart phones are barely a decade old invention that changed our world, for better or worse.  But, there are people now moving to get rid of their cell phone and move to these 'non-smart' or anti-smartphones.  Like, check this guy out:

The Punkt Minimalist Phone.  Here's the pitch:

"Simplify the way you communicate with the Punkt MP01 Minimalist Mobile Phone. This gadget comes with all the essentials you need from a mobile phone and nothing more. Free of app icons, special effects or even the internet, the Punkt MP01 is easy on the eyes and the mind. The simple and straightforward design also helps you put your phone away when you’re done with your call. It also offers crystal-clear audio so you can take calls wherever you are. Featuring a glass-fiber reinforced body and Gorilla Glass screen, the Punkt MP01 is made to last. Additionally, the Punkt MP01 doesn’t need to be charged as often as a smartphone. In fact, it offers around four hours of talk time or 20 days standby on a single charge. The minimalist mobile phone comes in Black, White or Brown."

 Fair enough.  I'm not sure that's $300 worth, but... you know, ok.  I mean, in concept, I like the idea.  I feel like I've been sucked into a black hold of novelty with my cell phone.  I mean, it's just an amazing device.  But, could I go back?  I mean, yeah.  Probably.  But... would I want to?  Not having the closest thing our world has made to a magic wand or a sonic screw driver is... I don't know.  Silly.  I guess. 

To me, I think it's just a fad.  I mean, people are spending good money to continue to have a cell phone plan and none of the perks.  What I've wanted to do, back when I had my first Palm Pre, was have the perks, with none of the cost.  The reverse of what this thing is offering, basically.  But, at that time, the world wasn't ready for that.  But now, well, we have free wifi everywhere. 

Instead of going for the look of being a rebel with my anti-smart phone, or dumb phone, or whatever catch phrase they want to come up with, I want to just... not have a phone contract.  There's so much software out there you can use to have a functioning smart phone all the time with no contract number, it's ridiculous.

Facebook, Google, Skype... all have chats available for calls.  Free.  Navigation?  Download the maps on Google before you leave or use full free Navigation apps like Navmii.  Ok, yeah, you probably won't be able to play Pokemon Go very easily or stream.... whatever it is you want to stream while camping or whatever... but, you can use any old handset for those right now and just not have a contract.  If you need a phone number, get one from Skype for $2.99.  It's super easy, barely an inconvenience. 

I don't know.  It just seems like a silly thing.  It's like saying we need to get rid of the internet, because it made the world better.  I mean, you do you.  If you're thing is getting a blatantly non-smart phone so people will ask you about them, so you can go on a pre-generated diatribe about smart phones and how much better your life is now without it, by all means.  It's cute and all, but c'mon... you're not actually fooling anyone. 

It's Not Political

I used to be political.  Especially when I watched the news.  But after the layoff, I stopped watching.  I stopped listening.  What I found was I didn't lose sight on what was happening in the world at all.  What I found was, people were people again.  I didn't lose touch with the world, I just lost the reductionist glasses that separated me from it.  At the end of the day, people are people, just trying to do what they believe will work best for their situation in life to make their lives, and the lives of the people they love, better.

Once I was able to shed the political armor and cliches I'd been hiding behind, I discovered... or maybe re-discovered, a few fundamental basics.  Basic #1:  I have 1 life and in that life there are an unknown number of days.  Basic#2:  I want to live that life as I see fit.  That's it.  Everything I think or believe now, comes from those 2 very basic realities.  That isn't political.

My family is split with politics, and they all have their 'sacred cows' whether it's gun rights or Planned Parenthood or whatever.  I don't really let myself get drawn in to the fake arguments like Trump vs Hillary.  They were both criminals, I'm not voting for a criminal because: Basic #1: I want to live that life as I see fit.  Criminals are considered criminals because they did something, or multiple somethings, that took advantage and/or preyed upon people, which took from them, hours of their life in either money, property, time or worse.  I wasn't going to reward that behavior.  That isn't a political stance, it's just a basic moral.

For things like Gun Control, I don't have any issues unless it impedes with Basic #2: I want to live that life as I see fit.  For the people who own guns, if they aren't violating Basic #1, I don't care what they own, how much or how many.  If they violate that in any way, then we deal with them on an individual basis.  It's the scalpel approach instead of the hammer as I've heard people fond of saying.  Ironically, the ones that say that seem to be fine with the hammer approach for gun control, but nothing else.

For things like Planned Parenthood, I don't have any moral qualms with what they do.  I don't have a stance on abortion or the death penalty, and I know they do more than just abortions before anyone's parrot talk reflexes kick in (parrot talk - pre-generated responses).  Some people would say I should because of Basic #1, but I haven't given enough consideration to the unborn or the predators of the world to care one way or the other.  I acknowledge that science believes life starts at the moment of conception, which categorizes a fetus as a living being.  I can't decide for others when murder is ok and when it isn't.  If someone breaks into my home, I have no idea if they are there to kill, so... Basic #1 and #2.  I don't want to kill someone, but if it's between them or me... I'm not ready to go.  Stranger Things has a Season 3 coming out.  I'm in the gray on a life that has literally done nothing good or bad for the world but wouldn't know that it's being murdered.  Ultimately, that one is above my pay grade.

What I do have a problem with is their violation of Basic #1 in the funding of Planned Parenthood.  If I only have 1 life and an unknown number of hours in it, taking my time from that one and only life from me in the form of money that I spent my time being productive to convert into a tangible asset or currency to improve my life for Basic #2.  As a result, I end up on the side against them, not for political reasons, not even necessarily for moral reasons exactly, although that's a bit hazy.  I end up against them because I get no say in the fact they can take money from my wallet, which is in essence taking those hours of my life against my will.  I never get them back.  They are gone forever.  There's no reset button, I didn't pick up a 1-up somewhere along the way.

And it would be fairly easy to move me to the 'no opinion' category instead of the 'against' category if Planned Parenthood just stopped receiving tax funding and set up as a 501C3.  Then, only the people that believed in what they did would support them.  The people who were morally or religiously against it would stay the same, and the rest of us wouldn't care anymore.  They'd remove a bunch of opposition by doing that, but I also understand it's harder.  It's easier to keep the indentured servants to use as a personal ATM for the cause than it is to release them and put the work in yourself to earn commitment.  But, again, I don't see that outlook as political.  If they didn't use my tax money, I would have no stance on Planned Parenthood at all.

I think the one people are talking about now is walls.  Putting up walls.  Again, I don't have much of an opinion here beyond my Basics.  If people coming here aren't violating Basic #1, I don't care.  If someone wants to take my money and build a wall or provide health care or other services for illegal immigrants, I'm against that because... see Basic #1 and #2.   I don't care if someone uses their own money to build a wall or sets up a 501C3 for people to donate to, to provide services or health care to illegal immigrants.  Just don't use the hours of my life to support either side. 

I guess when it comes down to it, 99% of the things I agree with side with the concept of more freedom, not less. Life, however, doesn't get easier or less complicated as it moves forward.  It's Bak's Sand Pile Theory.  Everything continues to become more complicated until it collapses.  If you drop a grain of sand in the exactly same place continually, it will grow into a mountain. But, because the sand lacks the ability or intellect to restructure itself to a more cohesive arrangement to sustain the continual growth and weight, it will inevitably collapse.  This is true for basically everything in life.  We have the capacity to turn all of these government funded things to something run by supporters to create a stronger, longer lasting, more cohesive structure that will stand longer before collapse, but like unthinking grains of sand, people refuse to restructure or reorganize because of their sacred cows.

In conversations, if I suggest it, I've actually heard on multiple occasions, the reason it should be federally funded is because without, the (insert-sacred-cow-here) would collapse.  Well, if it can't stand on it's own merits, it's should go away to preserve the strength of the structure.  Wolves remove the weak from heards of Caribou.  Failing businesses cut cut jobs (sand pile slides) or collapse, successful businesses flourish and create more jobs and opportunities.  Dead cells are discarded and stronger cells replace them.

So, to me, it's not political. I think politics are... well, they're like fire.  If used sparingly, it can be a benefit in a lot of different ways, but if given the fuel and opportunity, it will burn everything and everyone to the ground and choke itself out of existence. And right now, we are burning.  But instead of being smart, evaluating the situation, we are obstinately putting our emotions before common... no, good sense.  

Common Sense

Common sense isn't real, unless it's for idiots.  Idiocy and emotionally, unthinking reaction are way more common than intelligent, contemplative thought.  So when people say, 'it's common sense' or refer to something as 'common sense', I interpret that is 'Idiotic and emotionally, unthinking reaction'.

Rainy Days

Why do people say, 'save up for a rainy day'?  Is there some expense that happens?  Rainy days just seem like days, with more water. 

Obvious

I've worked for several companies now.  Each has their own 'method' or 'tools' for managers and supervisors; guidelines that they should use or apply, to keep associates content.  I've looked at them, and decided never to use them.  Because, ultimately, people aren't chess pieces on a board; there to manipulate to push up my own career.  They're people.  It's not fucking rocket science if you aren't a fucking robot. 

Pokemon Go and Ghostbusters World

My friend Jamie got me to try Pokemon Go about 3 years late.  I don't know shit about Pokemon, never watched the show, so I don't understand what's going on in the game.  I've been addicted to Ghostbusters: Answer the Call recently, and when looking for Ghostbusters apps and what not in the Google Play store, I saw Ghostbusters World.  The play mechanics are similar in many respects to Pokemon Go, but I actually understand what's happening.  Capturing malevolent ghosts and making them fight is more digestible and capturing cut animals in small containers and then 'training' (read as forcing) them to fight.  I'm not Michael Vick.  So, Ghostbusters World it is.  I probably won't mess with Pokemon Go much more because, well, why?  It just carries no meaning for me.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

I don't normally do much with true crime.  I have to live in the world everyday, so watching something that deals with the darkest parts of the real world isn't really a big sell for me.  The most exposure I've had to that kind of stuff is through Unsolved Mysteries back in the day.  But Zack Efron's Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile was pretty damn good.  I was working on another new podcast... I know... I have developed too many of these things.  I have more ideas than I have the time to execute them.  But, it is what it is.  Anyway, I was pulling notes together for the Doctor Strange Fancast and decided to throw it on in the background.  Well, it sucked me in.  When it got to the end, I realized I had lost and hour and half of working time on my projects.

They really drive the idea that he could've been innocent through the movie.  I like that it pointed out something else I find weird; young women being obsessed with true crime and serial killers.  Especially those that prey on young women.  They toy with that a bit in some of the court room scenes and it seems like a valid enough question.  I've never understood why women seem to be more attracted to the true crime stories than men, and they don't answer it in the movie because I'm not sure most people fascinated with it really understand it themselves.  I guess, to a degree, it's that pleasant kind of fear we get when watching horror movies or going to a haunted house.  It's fear in the safety of their homes.  That's about the best I can come up with.

That said, the movie was great, and surprisingly not grotesque at all.  With the subject matter, I expected it to be pretty graphic at times, but it turned out not to be at all.  They focused on the character story instead of the gore, which is what made it so good.  So, if you're into true crime or court room dramas, it's definitely worth a watch.