Had this short conversation over the weekend:
Friend: "wait a sec. You don't take your phone with you when you go out?"
Me: "no. Unless I'm going somewhere far from home. For emergencies and such."
Friend" (aghast and exasperated) "BUT WHAT IF YOU GET A PHONE CALL!?!?"
Me: (biting tongue so as not to release a full diatribe): "um, I'll get the message when I get home. You know, like we did for 30+ years before cell phones were invented..."
Some will not understand my position, but be apprised that I am old and my friend is even older. I suppose that if one grew up with a phone in hand at all times, the idea that not every event needs an immediate response may sound like heresy, but I certainly expected more from my elder friend.
As much as I believe that technology addiction is detrimental to society, as I write this during my usual 8-10 per day in front of a monitor, the addiction by OLD people to technology that they barely know how to use - my friend needed weeks of tutoring when he finally bought his first android phone - is truly saddening.