Just last month, I found myself booking a flight to Tucson to visit a friend. The journey began with an Uber ride from my suburban Denver home to a nearby park-and-ride, followed by an express bus straight to the airport. There, I checked in a bag, navigated through security, jumped on a train to the gate, and finally boarded my flight. Every single step of this process was seamlessly managed through that brilliant gadget we all have: the smartphone.
I couldn’t help but be amazed at how these devices have revolutionized what was once a dreaded experience. Flying used to feel like a chore, but smartphones have made it not just bearable but almost convenient. It’s a testament to technology’s profound impact on our everyday lives.
Yet, as I reveled in this convenience, a worrisome thought crept in—what if I had accidentally left my phone behind in the Uber or on that bus? Without it, I’d be set back to the days of print tickets and boarding passes. And once I landed in Tucson, a trip to the nearest phone store would be my first order of business.
Now, what if I were part of the tech-savvy crowd, paying for everything with Apple Pay or Google Pay? Without a phone, I’d be in a real pickle. No phone would mean no boarding pass and potentially no trip at all. I’d also struggle to find my way home from the airport without the digital aid of my phone. Who even remembers phone numbers these days when your smartphone does it for you?
This scenario brought me to a stark realization about technology being a double-edged sword. It liberates us from mundane, repetitive tasks, allowing us to focus on more important areas of our lives. However, it also trades away our resilience. When we can’t access our usual tech tools due to misplacement or failure, what alternatives do we have?
Think about it: are you prepared for a time when credit cards might be obsolete, replaced entirely by smartphone apps or biometric payments? Traditional stores like T-Mobile might become relics of the past, forcing us to depend solely on virtual setups. While this transition makes life more convenient, there’s a risk of becoming overly reliant on technology, potentially limiting our options when things go wrong.
The issue isn’t just theoretical. I experienced it firsthand returning from a canyoneering adventure in Utah. Fresh from the digital detox, I turned off airplane mode, expecting a barrage of notifications—but nothing happened. A glitch with my SIM card left me with zero connectivity. I couldn’t reach my friends awaiting my arrival in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, either.
Stopping at a Super8 in Green River, I hoped to catch a break and get online, only to be met with, "Wi-Fi is for guests only." Even borrowing their landline turned out to be a hassle. My fallback plan to connect with my friends fell flat, leaving me starkly aware of my lack of resilience without my phone.
Remember when payphones were everywhere? They could have been a saving grace in a predicament like mine, but those days are long gone. It’s a familiar pattern with technology: once something new replaces the old, the convenience of what was is lost to us forever.
Determined not to face the same helplessness, I’ve moved to an authenticator app instead of relying on SIM-based security. I also keep a written list of crucial phone numbers and one-time code entries in my wallet, ensuring I’m not entirely stranded without my phone.
The fragility that follows such heavy reliance on technology is a growing concern. During the pandemic, the shift towards virtual banking has underscored this issue. While digital banks offer attractive perks like low fees and great interest rates, with no need for physical branches, they also expose us to vulnerabilities if there’s a loss of internet access or technical failure.
In this new landscape, diversification across different institutions—like keeping various accounts with separate financial entities—can be crucial. It can cushion against potential cyber-attacks or banking disruptions and ensure access to funds even if one institution struggles.
In sharing this, my goal is to make you rethink your dependence on technology and whether you’re equipped to handle unexpected setbacks. Consider the potential vulnerabilities and take steps to make sure your digital reliance doesn’t translate to personal fragility.
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I’m David Champion. Pre-53, I left a career in software development for retirement. CanIRetireYet?’s newsletters have been a staple for me over the last decade, providing the insightful, no-nonsense financial advice I’ve come to rely on.
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