Prisoners – Wearing the Chains We Forge
Written by Donald Hughes, 2017

We have all become prisoners, bound by the strength or weakness of a signal, limited by the distance between posted towers. The amount of bars determines our boundaries, is it 1, 2, 3…. bars of signal strength? Can I survive the day should the bars go away? We are bound by the sudden ringtone, bursting into a sudden sense of urgency to respond, even to the most mundane call or text. Speeding down the road at 60, or sitting at the office, it doesn’t respect either, but demands an immediate response lest we miss a new post or pin. Our thumbs spring into action, our language reduced to acronyms and emojis, our voices silenced by a quick series of text messages lest we divulge our location. We are content to remain anonymous behind the pale blue glow, fearful that an incoming caller may prefer to actually speak rather than text! Heaven forbid! We are bound by feeling of security only if the device is within reach, or bound by the sudden despair only to find out it was left behind. We have created a world-wide prison for ourselves, without walls or boundaries, but not without bindings that would make jailers envious only a few decades ago. Ever wonder why they’re called “cell” phones?