Disappearing in the Modern World, Friday, Period 4

[doesntstophurting]

"Let's just go over this real quick," Booker told his students. "Say you still need to stay in touch with someone--someone mentioned family last week. Family is important. Or you're going to need to get a job or something. So, this is the modern world, nobody sends letters anymore, what are you gonna do?" He held up a smartphone. "This is a tracking device. Not just the phone itself, which can track you down off pings from cell towers, but half the apps on it are tracking you at all times. And not just your location! If you doubt it, mention a specific brand while it's in your pocket and see what you have ads for the next time you open Instagram." He held up a cheap flip phone. "This can still be a tracking device, because of those tower pings I mentioned before, so you're going to want to turn it off completely between calls, and periodically destroy it and get a new one. Prepaid. Memorize the numbers you need to call, don't store them in the phone or write them down."

Booker held the smartphone up again. "This does everything except toast bread for your sandwich." The flip phone. "This makes calls and, if you learn how to manage the keys like we did in the nineties, sends texts. That's it. So, how are you going to get by without all of the things this," the smartphone, "does for you? And how are you going to explain to people why you have a crappy flip phone in this day and age? Discuss."

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Re: Discuss!

[gospel_of_oblivion]

"Americans are always willing to believe that other countries are not as advanced as they are. If I say I am Eastern European, or even admit to being Russian, clearly I am poor and deprived of capitalism," Illyana said sardonically. "It's unsurprising that I am a bit of a Luddite with a flip phone."