Phones and the Quest for Information

Recently, while searching for something on my phone, I found myself scrolling through an extensive list without success. After a moment of frustration, I paused and returned to the task, convinced the item must still be somewhere on the list. As I continued to scroll, I discovered countless more options beneath the point where I had previously halted. Finally, near the bottom, I found what I was looking for—what a relief!

I won’t even delve into the “more” option, which only leads to further scrolling. Yet, that’s often where one must venture if the desired item is elusive.

Advancements in My Vehicle

Now, let’s talk about my car, which boasts far more technology than my previous vehicle, which was over 20 years old. While I set up some functions, I tend to minimize my phone use while driving, making the lack of full setup less relevant. My phone is mounted in a way that allows for hands-free use when necessary.

As a fun fact, I have no sense of direction, a realization I came to in high school, and I’ve accepted it. Thankfully, Google Maps has become my trusted companion. I no longer get lost because I’ve configured it to provide audible directions. With the phone securely mounted, I can occasionally glance at it without distraction, as I’m already in the habit of checking my mirrors frequently.

I can easily command Siri to send a text without diverting my gaze from the road. If a text comes in, I ask my phone to read it aloud, but I don’t engage in phone conversations while driving.

Despite my limited phone use in the car, I still had to adjust various technological settings. For instance, I needed to change the clock shortly after acquiring the vehicle, just before the transition to daylight saving time. I encountered numerous options and, after experimenting with several, finally located the right one to update the time.

I have often been that person who leaves the car clock set incorrectly for ages, as I can mentally adjust the time. This experience seems common, as friends frequently share their struggles with resetting their car clocks during time changes. I appreciate that my phone, watch, and many other devices adjust automatically. Yet, manually changing the clock on my car remains a hassle, even with all its advanced technology.

Having learned from my previous time-change experiences, I managed to reset the clock more swiftly this year, giving myself a well-deserved pat on the back.

The Overwhelm of Choices

At times, it feels like we face an overload of choices. For example, when shopping for cereal, the sheer number of options across three aisles can be paralyzing, leading to indecision. Sometimes, we leave empty-handed simply because the plethora of choices is overwhelming.

However, in our tech-driven world, we can mitigate this visual clutter through simple scrolling. While scrolling quickly may cause us to overlook something important, it may be safer to keep moving rather than stopping prematurely. Perhaps there’s a deeper philosophical lesson here about scrolling, but for now, “just keep scrolling” resonates with me.

I find this approach extends to my reading habits as well. I’ve become adept at scrolling and scanning, much like how I learned to speed-read. Not every word in a book warrants attention; often, only certain words carry significance.

The Lesson Learned

In conclusion, I embrace the art of scrolling. My early lessons in reading apply just as much to online content: keep scrolling, and you’ll eventually uncover what you seek—just don’t get bogged down by the excess.

Photo by Victor Serban on Unsplash