It is often said that ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ All too often, we place unrealistic expectations on ourselves because we think we ought to be better in multiple aspects of life. We should work harder, be more successful, own the latest smartphone as we present ourselves to our world. The heaviest expectations are the ones we place on ourselves.
While on the MRT in Singapore, seeing everyone focused on their smartphones reminded me of the lyrics of The Eagle’s 1977 hit, Hotel California. One of the lines reads, ‘We are just prisoners here of our own device.’ How unwittingly prophetic was that from 47 years ago! Since the first mobile phone (Motorola at a hefty 2 kilograms!) was introduced in 1973, there are now 9 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide (International Telecommunication Union stats) compared to a global population of 8 billion.
We have indeed become prisoners of our own devices. The likes of Apple, Samsung, Huawei, etc are doing their darnedest to ensure we remain ‘prisoners,’ constantly promoting upgrades and comparisons.
Can we do without? The answer to that is another question – how many ‘prisoners’ escape? Not many.
I know of a ‘mobile free’ individual who once accidentally left his wallet at his aunt’s condo in Singapore. It took WhatsApp messages from Singapore to Vancouver to London, followed by an email back to Singapore to reach the individual concerned!
When The Eagles wrote the lyrics ‘We are just prisoners of our own device,’ they were referring to hedonism in the West Coast USA in the 1970s. Little did they know the profundity of that line now. As sure as night follows day, something else will replace the smartphone. But until then, most of us will remain ‘prisoners.’
Now retired, Kenneth had a long career at British Airways HQ in London. He enjoys badminton, cooking, charity work and walking. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in Buckinghamshire, England.
