The Cellphone, Navigating Our Lives

The use of our cell phone’s as GPS devices offers a few conveniences but also offers a “big brother” cloud over us that may not be worth the benefits.

What are the benefits? Perhaps is the most appealing is the ease of mobility. To have an awareness of where you are and how to get where you are going adds a confidence and safety to our day that allows our mobility to be expanded. Navigating ourselves through different cities and the world is something that adds to our experience.
Safety is perhaps another benefit to consider. The idea of Google supporting tracking my children allows me to breathe a bit easier. Although it does not mean my children can exercise much more freedom, it does allow me to relax and enjoy the comfort of knowing there is a bit of a “safety net”. I imagine that once they become teenagers I will truly find values in this tool. Had my parents had access to this tracking device while I was in school I would have been busted on many occasion.
Location identification is perhaps the benefit that is the most contradictory in terms of our opinion. As the article indicates an example of catching a friend who just happens to be near by is one such benefit. However, what if you do not want to be found? What if you have told your boss that you needed to go home early when in fact, you were in the nearest boutique for quite some time. Or perhaps more interesting, what if you are Tiger Woods and your wife could locate your exact whereabouts?

Are all of these benefits of the cellphone applications and capabilities necessary for us to exercise? When do we begin to value privacy instead of convenience?

Unfortunately, I believe we have already crossed the threshold and there is no turning back. The challenge now is to keep pace with the rest of society as we try, as individuals, to participate in a technology movement that is faster than any of us can imagine. Keeping stride may force us to compromise liberties that we apparently are quick to give up; however the cost associated with these will not be able to be measured in the near future. By always referring to our screen instead of looking around us, we are certain to miss something along the way.