Monday, April 14, 2014

Generation Y



“How’s Caroline?”

“Haven’t seen her lately.”

Pulls out iPhone.

[tap, tap, tap}

“Chomps. 10th and Walnut.”

“How do you KNOW?”

“'Find My Friends' app. Lets me know where they are at all times.”

“Unless they leave their phone at home…”

“They wouldn’t.”

*****************

A Garblebuster answer to the question:

"Have you seen her much?"

Come check it out over at Yeah Write!

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

These kind of apps actually exist, don't they? I have an undereducated phone, so I'm not up on the technology.

Kir said...

it's interesting how much we can know about a person these days. Even when we don't want to.
It's scary in some ways and comforting in others.
(depending on who is looking for whom.)

great write. xo

Gina said...

Yes, I heard about it this weekend from my daughter's friend. To me, it just seems wrong. Ask me if you would like to know where I am, which means you have to call me or contact me, at the very least. I kind of really hate the idea of this. And I wouldn't ask anyone if I could follow them in this way.

Gina said...

Exactly! Do I want to know where my family is at all times? I'm not sure I do. I think I need to trust and respect them. I may be naive, but I believe what they tell me about what they do with their time away from me.

Thanks, Kir! XO

Gina said...

And they don't go anywhere without their phones. I never have my phone when I go out unless I am NOT with my husband.

JannaTWrites said...

This creeps me out. Basically, it's digital stalking. (Back in my day, stalking involved lurking behind bushes... how quaint :) ) I think it's ironic that all this technology (FB, Twitter, stalker apps, etc.) lets us know people with more information, but we're not "close" to people in the same way, as if we took time to chat over lunch.

Marcy said...

Very cool--I learned something new. I get how it's kind of creepy too. I have "checked in" sometimes on Facebook, but I wouldn't want people to be able to look up where I am at any time.

sue said...

but they never see each other in person - I liked the digital stalking comment above

Anonymous said...

Heh. Nice commentary on modern American society. I used to be vehemently anti-smartphone, but they are insidious little beasts...

Gina said...

Creeps me put, too! Stalking was also a hang up upon answering back in the day when caller I.D. was a just a glint in someone's imagination! Since the new year, I've made a commitment to myself to be I front off people I care about more, and text less. I'm not big into social media, but I do "cop" out by texting too much!

Gina said...

I don't check in on facebook because of that. The any time part is creepy. Call me!!! Ring the doorbell!!!

Gina said...

I've also seen kids text each other while in the same room or car. Some of them have lost the "art" of talking person-to-person, in my opinion.

Gina said...

I, too, felt like you. Then I took an antique iPhone hand-me-down and sunk low. I use it for pictures, emails, texts and calls. It's hard not to get sucked in. I try!

Jennifer Hall said...

Find My Friends, hu? I like being in contact and I dig social media, but, this might be going too far!

Robbie K said...

I agree..this creeps me out more than a little bit.

Larks said...

LOL! This was awesome. Of *course* they wouldn't leave their phones behind.

Atreyee said...

Great bird's eye view on modern times and how people are changing-and not necessarily for the better!I liked the way you wrote it-found it funny Gina and imagined all sorts of scenarios-imagine if one is in an "inconvenient" place when someone is tracking you?lol!

Anonymous said...

Haha. I bet there would be this app sometime in near future.

Anonymous said...

“They wouldn’t.” - No, no they wouldn't. :)

Just between you and me, I actually love my smartphone. I do most of my reading, writing and watching on it. It's a wonderful tool that enhances my life. It's what you choose do with it that's the key, I think. Not sure about an app like this though.

Shailaja V said...

Oh this exists all right! Creeps me out. Google Latitude, that's the one. Rarely turn it on, for exactly this reason!

Shailaja's post

Jen Brunett said...

I think that app is actually creepier than a horror movie. Clever use of the prompt, good one!

Gina said...

It's way too far, in my opinion. The college kids, however, think not!

Gina said...

Same.

Gina said...

They go EVERYWHERE with them!

Gina said...

On the other hand, you must mutually agree for this tracking so you would never be somewhere where you shouldn't be for fear of being found out. This is very discomforting. Could be funny though! Think of the tricks you could play!

Gina said...

It is already available. Saw it in action this week!

Gina said...

I absolutely agree; it is what you do with it. Mine is not instrumental in my life but I'm probably in the minority group! Regardless of the importance of a smart phone in my life, the app is over the top to me!

Gina said...

The one I saw in action was Find My Friend. Back in the day, it was fun and challenging to find my friends on foot, bike, or driving around.

Gina said...

I agree. Could make a horror movie bases on the app's premise! Thanks, Jen!

Anonymous said...

I'd be leaving my phone at home. The thought is just too creepy for me. Well written.

Gina said...

I leave my phone at home constantly. Or in my car. I'm not tied to it like the college kids seem to me to be! What happened to mystery or privacy? Thanks, sara!