Teenager Before Smartphones

[WEDWDW]

After a debacle with a secret much older boyfriend, my parents put the strict rule in place that all calls for me took place on the kitchen extension where I could be heard from the living room. Believe me when I tell you I felt lucky to be able to talk to my friends and to the occasional boy. I didn't feel like my privacy was being invaded because I deserved their distrust. Had there been cell phones, I could have gotten into real trouble with this guy instead of just skirting the edge of it. So I'm glad that we only had landlines.

Nowadays, I only use my phone for making calls and texting with my sister; I actually loathe cell phones. It took me forever to finally get one. People today have their noses stuck in their phones all the time-I think it's made for a less friendly world.

Yes,that may have been UGLY with a Smartphone in the picture!

 

[WEDWDW]

Had my own phone line so I could talk to my boyfriend or friends any time I wanted to.

I’m glad I didn’t grow up in the age of smartphones and social media because man, I did some dumb stuff back then lol

I say if there is no record of stuff happening,then it didn't happen!lol

 

[_19disnA]

Nope. Even now that I do own a smartphone, my life does not revolve around it. Clever marketing by the cellphone companies tries to make it sound like your life is somehow incomplete if you don't constantly have your nose in your phone...........thanks I will pass. I don't need to be available 24/7 when a friend or relative happens to call. At home, I put it down on the counter and have never walked around the house constantly carrying it with me. Leave a message if I am not around and I will call you back later.

When out in public I generally leave my phone in the car. It used to be a status symbol apparently to have a phone so people wanted to constantly be talking to someone to try and impress others. Amazing how many conversations I overhear that are basically gibber/gabber when out shopping!! If eating at a restaurant, I think it is rude to chat on your phone while ignoring those you are with.

I prefer to talk in person (or on the phone) rather then try to have an extended coversation via texting. Too easy to lose the context and sometimes what the person is asking isn't clear. Those tiny screen keyboards make texting a pain and then you constantly have to double-check what you typed before sending to make sure auto-spellcheck hasn't inserted nonsense into what you typed.

 

[WEDWDW]

Not at all. My parents had a landline and was known to spend hours on it talking to friends. Or since most of my friends were on my street, I just walked to their house and knocked on their door.
Of course even today I'm not tethered to my cell phone. It is my emergency phone, I don't give out my number, and all my calls are still done on a landline.

Actually talking to someone face to face-what a novel idea in today's world!lol

 

[WEDWDW]

No I’m glad we didn’t have smartphones back in the 70’s. My parents had a landline with a wall phone in the kitchen that had a super long cord. My room was close enough that I could stretch it to my room and close the door.

Yes,the LONG cord-today's teens would FREAK out at the sight of that!lol

 

[WEDWDW]

Nope, didn't have cell phones (hadn't been invented yet). Heck we only had one land line and that was the one hanging on the wall in the kitchen. It did have a looooooooong cord though. Most of the time we lived in the burbs so most of my friends lived in the neighborhood and we would just walk to each others houses. We did call each other every now and again but we didn't need to be in each others back pockets.

I bet it was long enough to enter another room with it and close the door on the cord to guarantee Privacy!lol

 

[fly girl]

NO! I am so glad I grew up before cell phones were a thing, and definitely social media. Like many on here, I did have my own phone line.

I don't think I know of one person in my age group that says they wished we had cell phones.

Are you glad they are around in present day or do you wish they had never arrived on the scene at all and not just in Teenager Land?

That one is trickier...

I love the fact I can be in constant communication with my teenager.

However, I really wish our society has whole wasn't so focused on our smartphones. People watch instead of turning to your phone next time you are in public. You will see the vast majority is glued to their phones, and not the people they are with. That is very sad.

 

[Nolcrest]

I'm thankful that I was a teenager pre smartphone and social media. I believe I was a better problem solver, better communicator, more patient, less anxiety ridden, let past relationships remain in the past, more confident, more independent, less vain, and so on than most teenagers today.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm EXTREMELY glad cell phones weren't a thing when I was growing up. There are a number of REALLY dumb, idiotic, cringe worthy things that I did that I *REALLY* don't need a record of.

However, I do feel they are necessary for teens now. Because many families have given up the landline/"family" phone, if they're going to be in contact with friends or employers, it's needed. There is also a benefit with knowing where the kids are (just knowing they're moving toward home/school and if they're running late gives me piece of mind).

As far as people being "buried" in their phones, mine's a "time killer". Waiting in line? See what's happening on the Dis. Stuck in traffic? What's the weather going to be like for the next few days.

Seeing a family more interested in their phones than each other? Don't judge. You have no idea if they're taking a multi hour road trip and are "talked out".

Bottom line, there's good and bad to cell phones. I'm glad I didn't have one growing up, but living now without one (mainly because "everyone" else has one) would be difficult.

 

[KayMichigan]

Nope, we knew how to cope without being in constant touch.

As for today, I like the convenience of smartphones but I don't like how it's turned people into antisocial screen zombies. When they're at a concert or any other big event, they're too focused on trying to record it to actually pay attention to what's happening right in front of them.

 

[Kitty 34]

At least back in my day (prehistoric) I was smarter than the phone. Gosh now I have no idea what my smartphone is doing half the time!! OK, all the time!

 

[WEDWDW]

Nope, we knew how to cope without being in constant touch.

As for today, I like the convenience of smartphones but I don't like how it's turned people into antisocial screen zombies. When they're at a concert or any other big event, they're too focused on trying to record it to actually pay attention to what's happening right in front of them.

So true.

We went to a Bob Dylan Concert and everybody was told that if they had their Smartphone out,they would be removed by Security and if Bob saw one he had said he would walk off.

It was wonderful without phones in the air everywhere.

 

[slo]

For everyone who lived their teenaged years Pre-Smartphones,do you feel you were "cheated" by not being able to have constant communication with Boyfriends and Girlfriends and Friends,etc. during those special years?

Or is anyone glad they weren't tethered to a handheld computer during the days of teenager life?

I am very very glad to have been a teenager in the 80s with no cell phone. The stress phones cause some kids is nothing I would wish for myself.

I have to say I am shocked-I figured it would be close to 50/50.

Are you glad they are around in present day or do you wish they had never arrived on the scene at all and not just in Teenager Land?

I am glad to have my smartphone today - so many conveniences, and I like how my elderly parents can get in touch with me anytime.

 

[mrodgers]

I wonder if we'd have as many people addicted to their phones if we would have started straight out with smartphones for everyone rather than a slow ramp up over a decade plus with rich people starting with the bag phones, then the not rich but want to look rich, to a few normal folks, then the bar phones so more normal folk, then the flip phones and getting to half the people to the smart phones and everyone addicted to them but me.

GenX and older didn't even have computers growing up. Kids these days don't know what it was like to never have a smartphone so they don't know what it was like. It surprises me that everyone comments on questions like this saying they are glad they didn't have them, but now they are addicted to them.

I'm thankful we didn't have computers and cell phones when I was growing up. And today I couldn't care any less about my cell phone. Not saying I don't have one, but if my charger cord broke, I could probably go a week before needing to charge it where my kids, every time we go somewhere, they are like, "But my phone is at 3%...." I also care so little I don't need the company to hide a $30 payment in the cell bill on a 3 year contract so that it appears to be nothing.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

There were times as a kid that we wished our dad would let us get a 2nd phone line for the bedroom that I shared with my sister. My brother already had a phone in his room, but not his own line, only because that room used to be our parents' room before they added a family room and MBR to our house. We pleaded to him for another line but he would never spend the money. The cord in our kitchen was super long and stretched the heck out of to be able to reach the bathroom and shut the door.
I remember racking up a $35 phone bill by calling a boy from a few towns over that I met at our roller skating rink. That was considered a "toll call" and I got in trouble for such a huge bill. They made me use money I got for Christmas from relatives to pay my share and said to let him call me. lol Probably good advice anyway.

My ds22 says he wishes he grew up in my generation or even my parents' generation. Life was much simpler back then. He is sad for today's children.

Ds26 feels sorry for us that we didn't have modern things and sometimes pokes fun at older ways of doing things. Then I remind him how when he was very young, just learning how to use a computer, we had dot matrix printers and that some day his kids will make fun of that.

ETA: I just realized I never answered the question. I'm glad we didn't have smartphones then. There are some instances nowadays where I'm glad to have a phone with me such as driving through remote areas alone.
I was thrilled to have access to AppleWriter, the first word processing program that I knew of and it was a big deal back then. I remember using it at our school's computer lab to type my college application essay so that I didn't have to use my dad's old typewriter and white-out.

 

[mrodgers]

I prefer to talk in person (or on the phone) rather then try to have an extended coversation via texting. Too easy to lose the context and sometimes what the person is asking isn't clear. Those tiny screen keyboards make texting a pain and then you constantly have to double-check what you typed before sending to make sure auto-spellcheck hasn't inserted nonsense into what you typed.

Now this is what I do like about cell phones, and the only reason I have it. Being addicted to the phone predates cell phones. My mother was on the phone in the kitchen constantly. I have no need to chit chat on the phone. Text me what you need me to know, there is no such "extended conversation" for me via phone at all.

My mother hates texting. If I'm heading over after work, I want to let her know when I'm coming because I don't work a set shift, I work until I want to leave. But I run home to clean up and change, then call her to say, I'm on my way. 45 minutes later I have no choice but to hang up on her because she hasn't taken a break from talking yet. If she would just accept the call for what it is and responded with, "Ok, see you in a few..." she would have been talking to me face to face for at least half an hour.

Just like I don't understand how people can live most of their waking life with their phone in their face, I don't know how mothers back when I was a kid lived most of their waking life with a landline phone on a cord held up to their ear for hours on end.

Phone calls with my mother goes like this....

"Well, my shows are coming on at 8 so I'm going to let you go. You're coming over tomorrow then? Oh, speaking of tomorrow, I have to go down to the church. Did I tell you about Cindy? Well, she........"

"Ok Mike, my shows are already half over, gee glad I recorded them. I have to go now. So, do you want to eat first or should we take these back to Lowes when you get here then we'll eat. Is your ex working tomorrow night? You know my friend Judy? Her husband works there. He cashiers in the outside part. Boy does he hate your ex wife....."

"Mike, I really have to go, it's after 9. It's so hard to get off the phone with you. Ok, I'm going to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow. We'll run that over, then maybe... Let's go to Chilis. I haven't been to Chilis in like a month. I went to lunch with Jane, oh when was it? Wait, I have a receipt right here. Let's see, ah, Walmart... Target... Oh, here it is, 3 weeks ago on Tuesday. We went met and went to the outlet mall. Oh, did you see they put a new store in at the mall....."

And then in person, "You know your brother called me the other day. We were on the phone for 3 hours. I just could not get off the phone with him. I keep saying I have to go..." "Your grandmother called me last night. I just couldn't get off the phone with her." "Talked to your aunt the other day, just couldn't get off the phone." Couldn't get off the phone... couldn't get off the phone... couldn't get off the phone...

She doesn't see the common denominator with her having so much trouble getting off the phone with people, LOL.

 

[EACarlson]

I'm very glad there is no photographic or video proof of the stupid things I did as a teenager in the mid-late 90's. Most people would call that "Evidence." We in the 90's kind of had this as just about everyone in my HS had a pager, and there were still payphones just about everywhere along with everyone having a landline or two.
The early years of popular cell phones would have been fine, it's when you got smartphones that could take pictures you could actually see what it was and that took video that things got too dangerous. I got my first cell phone in 1999, my first smartphone in 2008 (Samsung Instinct) and finally went landline free when we moved this summer. I enjoy having all the things available to me, but I'm not afraid to put it down and just take in what's going on around me.

 

[sam_gordon]

I wonder if we'd have as many people addicted to their phones if we would have started straight out with smartphones for everyone rather than a slow ramp up over a decade plus with rich people starting with the bag phones, then the not rich but want to look rich, to a few normal folks, then the bar phones so more normal folk, then the flip phones and getting to half the people to the smart phones and everyone addicted to them but me.

Well, anyone younger than about 25 is "addicted" to their phones, but they started "straight out" when they were young teenagers. So I don't think the "ramp up" made a difference.

Could I survive without a phone? Of course. But it also comes in EXTREMELY handy. I travel for business. I use the GPS to get between places. Sure, I can use a paper map, but having the route highlighted is pretty nice. I use the phone to talk to my wife each night. Last night, her and my daughters were travelling because they're going wedding dress shopping. I was still able to talk to her.

In some restaurants, since I'm getting older, it's nice to be able to turn the light on to see the menu. Going back to the business trip, I take a picture of each receipt and store it in my phone. When it's time to reconcile, it's easy to upload the receipt (because no one turns in paper any more).

Once, when using my phone to "kill time" while waiting in line, I saw an add for a product I thought DS would like for Christmas. Sure enough, it was one of his best gifts.

Could I get by without all of these things? Of course. Why should I choose to thought?

 

[mrodgers]

Well, anyone younger than about 25 is "addicted" to their phones, but they started "straight out" when they were young teenagers. So I don't think the "ramp up" made a difference.

Could I survive without a phone? Of course. But it also comes in EXTREMELY handy. I travel for business. I use the GPS to get between places. Sure, I can use a paper map, but having the route highlighted is pretty nice. I use the phone to talk to my wife each night. Last night, her and my daughters were travelling because they're going wedding dress shopping. I was still able to talk to her.

In some restaurants, since I'm getting older, it's nice to be able to turn the light on to see the menu. Going back to the business trip, I take a picture of each receipt and store it in my phone. When it's time to reconcile, it's easy to upload the receipt (because no one turns in paper any more).

Once, when using my phone to "kill time" while waiting in line, I saw an add for a product I thought DS would like for Christmas. Sure enough, it was one of his best gifts.

Could I get by without all of these things? Of course. Why should I choose to thought?

First off, yeah, I mentioned my generation (and older) after that. I should have made it clearer at first I was talking about my gen and older with the addiction. And if the older gen didn't start it out, then perhaps those who have never lived without them may not be addicted to them now because Gen X wouldn't have needed to buy their 6 year olds a cell phone. If it was just a tool and not something we got addicted to, then the history of kids never having no phones may be different.

Now for some of your points because thoughts like this is always brought up. Using a cell phone for work is far different than constantly needing a phone in your face in your non-working time. When talking about phone zombies and such, so many people always justify phones with work when work has nothing to do with the topic.

Talking to your wife and daughters because they were traveling? I've never traveled where there was not a phone in the room I was staying at. I have also until 2016 never not had a phone in the kitchen. Pre cell phones, you still would have talked to your wife and daughters. Only difference would be they would be sitting on the bed and you'd be sitting at the kitchen table rather than freely walking around.

And third, a flashlight is EDC for me even with having the light on the phone. 2 things I don't know how men manage to get through life without is a pocket knife and a small flash light. And I suppose that leads to what you said about business meals and the receipt. A flashlight is always in my pocket because I do physical work. My work isn't done chatting around the lunch table. Thus, I am never high enough to be the person who pays the bill, so no need to take a picture of the receipt to make it easier in the expense report. Someone else always buys lunch on the rare chance I get to eat for free.

But yeah, it is very convenient. Especially when you don't have to shell out the enormous cost of the phone plus the monthly, which is another point of why business use doesn't relate to most of the threads started about people addicted to cell phones in their personal lives.

 

[kymom99]

There were times as a kid that we wished our dad would let us get a 2nd phone line for the bedroom that I shared with my sister. My brother already had a phone in his room, but not his own line, only because that room used to be our parents' room before they added a family room and MBR to our house. We pleaded to him for another line but he would never spend the money. The cord in our kitchen was super long and stretched the heck out of to be able to reach the bathroom and shut the door.
I remember racking up a $35 phone bill by calling a boy from a few towns over that I met at our roller skating rink. That was considered a "toll call" and I got in trouble for such a huge bill. They made me use money I got for Christmas from relatives to pay my share and said to let him call me. lol Probably good advice anyway.

My ds22 says he wishes he grew up in my generation or even my parents' generation. Life was much simpler back then. He is sad for today's children.

Ds26 feels sorry for us that we didn't have modern things and sometimes pokes fun at older ways of doing things. Then I remind him how when he was very young, just learning how to use a computer, we had dot matrix printers and that some day his kids will make fun of that.

ETA: I just realized I never answered the question. I'm glad we didn't have smartphones then. There are some instances nowadays where I'm glad to have a phone with me such as driving through remote areas alone.
I was thrilled to have access to AppleWriter, the first word processing program that I knew of and it was a big deal back then. I remember using it at our school's computer lab to type my college application essay so that I didn't have to use my dad's old typewriter and white-out.

My grandma had a party line.

Since my dad worked for the phone company, we had a certain number of long distance minutes feee every month. I’m not kidding when I say people would ask to use our phone to make long distance calls. People were much more frugal in those days.