Memorizing Phone Numbers
2 days ago
- #memory
- #technology
- #relationships
- The author does not save phone numbers in contacts except for their mom's numbers to ensure calls from her are not filtered out by 'Do Not Disturb'.
- Not saving numbers helps the author memorize them naturally through repeated exposure when checking messages or past conversations.
- The author uses memorization of phone numbers as a metric for relationship closeness: remembering a number indicates a close relationship, forgetting suggests fading ties, and not remembering signifies fleeting connections.
- Memorizing phone numbers was once a common practice taught by parents for safety, but it's becoming rare due to technology's convenience.
- The author values this practice as it feels natural, maintains basic human skills, and can bring joy or reassurance to others when their number is remembered.
- A personal anecdote illustrates how remembering a friend's number once strengthened their bond, but the memory fades as the relationship does.
- The author reflects on how technology and AI are erasing basic human skills and wonders if this is progress or a gradual replacement of human capabilities.
- The piece concludes with broader reflections on self-reliance and the loss of basic skills in a tech-dominated world.