Choosing A Different Lifestyle
Perhaps you’ve seen those commercials of seniors taking delight in their simplified phones. They’re typically in sweaters with flourishing gardens and are surrounded by grandkids who miraculously all behave themselves. Even more miraculously, their grandkids aren’t on smartphones, themselves. During a time when smartphones have become smarter than ever and can perform multiple operations, it may seem wild that someone would choose a phone without all of the apps and gizmos that smartphones possess. Yet, that is exactly what those who choose to buy Jitterbug Direct receive. Perhaps the craziest thing is that they may actually have the right idea.
Do Smartphones Actually Make Life Easier?
In a time where smartphones can basically do everything for you, it may seem as though life is easier than ever. Who needs to get up and turn the lights on anymore when you can just push a button on your phone to do it for you instead? Did someone ask you a trivia question and you’re unsure of the answer? All you need to do is perform a quick Google search on your phone and you have the answer right there. Sure, the quick access to information is certainly nice, but does having a smartphone actually make your life easier? Or do the seniors who buy their simple phones actually know something that the majority of the younger generations don’t?
Let’s break down what a smartphone offers.
- Communication
Before it became loaded with apps and was Wi-Fi capable, smartphones were just simple phones. Their only purpose was for communication. Initially, it was just vocal communication. The real leap here, however, was that you were able to have a conversation wherever you had a signal. This typically meant that those in the country sometimes still had to rely on old phones for communication. Yet satellites spread and so did coverage.
Then came texting. No longer did you have to listen to the annoying voices of your family and friends. Even better, you could ignore them entirely and simply reply to their text when you desired. These are both features that exist within the simplistic phone. So, what exactly does the smartphone seemingly have over the simple phone? Some might argue that it has an ability for face-to-face conversations through programs like Skype.
People with simple phones can do that, too, except they actually go visit that person and see their face with their own eyes rather than through a screen. Sure, something like Skype may be more convenient, but is it actually better? As social creatures, humans need to have that interaction with other human beings. It isn’t merely about talking and seeing, however. It’s about being with that person and sharing energy with each other. Seniors may not be able to Skype with you but they can do the next best thing—actually visit you.
- Information
Another aspect that smartphones typically tout is their ability to perform a quick search whenever you have a question. Education is certainly important and should be shared. Yet the information that people typically look up on their phones isn’t the big questions that they should be asking. Nor do they tend to critically think about the information that is presented. Often, the information they receive is biased or simply untrue. Smartphones have taught them how to be impatient when searching for information and to trust a web page rather than develop their own critical thinking skills.
Seniors with simple phones have to work a little harder to obtain that information. They have to dig a little deeper to uncover the truth. This may make the process slower, certainly, but it also helps develop those critical thinking skills. Besides that, it also enriches experiences in life. Why read a review about a restaurant on your phone when you can just take the plunge and try it for yourself? Instead of just reading about it on your phone, set the phone down and experience life.
- Disconnect
More and more, people are requiring days away from technology. Why? Because they’re overloaded. Too many young people are driven by a desire to look and live based on influencers that they see on their phones. Those with simple phones live authentically.
