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Has Technology Trained You to the Point of Beep Activation?

Published: May 9, 2006

Has technology trained you to become beep activated?

Well, I admit, I am beep activated. What is this term you ask? Well, it goes like this:

• When I make coffee in the morning and it’s finished brewing, the coffee machine beeps: I’m programmed to respond.
• When the clothes in the washing machine have finished washing, the washing machine beeps: I’m programmed to respond
• When the dryer has finished drying the clothes the dryer buzzes: I’m programmed to respond quickly because it is the most annoying buzz I’ve ever heard.
• When the oven reaches the appropriate temperature, it beeps: I’m programmed to respond.
• When the food in the nuker is warmed, the nuker beeps: I’m programmed to respond.
• When I forget to shut off the coffee maker and it shuts itself off, it beeps: I’m programmed to respond.

I didn’t realize just how well the technology has trained me until one day when having a relaxing cup of coffee at a friend’s house. Something in her house beeped. I jumped up from the table (disturbing the coffee a bit), stood there with my eyes darting back and forth, my hands at the ready (you know the stance…I stood like I was at the showdown at the OK corral with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday).

For a brief moment, I forgot where I was. All I knew was something beeped and I was to respond. After about a second or two, I realized where I was. I looked sheepishly at my friend and, slowly sat down and somewhat mumbled…’beep activated.’ She nodded because she understood. She too, suffers from the same condition.

This can happen to you. Envision this with me for a moment. You’re in a nice restaurant, enjoying a meal with a friend and/or family. You hear a cell phone. Now, come on, be honest. Don’t you stop mid chew, look around for a brief second and then start to reach for your phone? You know good and well that the ring tone you are hearing does not match your phone in any way, but you still respond to it.

Yes my friend, you too are in the process of becoming beep activated. The antidote? A very long Caribbean vacation.

That's my 2 cents and I'm sticking with it!

About the Author: I am Felicia A. Williams, a wife, mom, grandma, writer and eternal student.

Last Modified: 21 May 2021