In the old days we had to keep tabs on our stuff ourselves. If you lost your daily planner or pocket diary, you lost the info but the act of physically writing things down helps us remember, because you use three “learning gates”: eyes, hands and mind. Just typing stuff into your phone doesn’t have the same effect because you don’t physically shape the words.
A plus with a minus and a minus, a plus, times all the problems that come along with an equal sign just adds up to trouble….(divided by one’s abilities to withstand it all!)…..
I’ve never known a device to be so convenient and inconvenient at the same time: convenient at what it can do and inconvenient to carry around comfortably in a pocket (too big) or to handle with my big dumb man hands (too small).
I have to go online to make appointments for blood tests ordered by doctor. They have me fill in a ton of info and issue an alpha code and a QR code. I get to the lab and have to fill in all the info AGAIN! Never asks for either code. My brother and I laff that someday you won’t be able to get anything done!!
I actually find travel a lot easier to manage in this era of the internet and smart phones. The only minus occurs if my phone dies or gets lost or stolen.
Remember the old saying; Every silver lining has a cloud! :o) With that said, I honestly can’t remember how I planned vacations before the internet?? It had to be a lot more “work”.
Went in to upgrade from my flip phone to a smart phone. Salesperson spent 10 minutes highlighting how great the camera was, etc, etc. Not ONE word about how the voice quality was for an actual phone call. When I asked they had no idea. Sigh.
There’s a direct correlation between the amount of work people do and how complicated it is to live. We do more with technology, but everything we do is that much more complex
I just got my new 2025 calendar datebook. It’s all I need. It stays on my desk. Appointments, notes on when a book by a favorite author is being released, birthdays – it’s all there.
I wish GoComics would update their comments format so that the comments are nested more than 1 tier deep. Would make following arguments . . . I mean conversations, easier.
The question is the “Balance”. And sometimes the balancing act can be very, very difficult! (I wanted to say torturous, but not sure about the spelling!)
BasilBruce 25 days ago
Is this why so many are bad at math?
3nemesis 25 days ago
At least I can read Pearls Before Swine on my smartphone.
californiamonty 25 days ago
Sorry, Goat; however, I think we have more than enough evidence to know that plenty of minuses come with more minuses.
iggyman 25 days ago
Pig, the more things change, the more they stay the same!
enigmamz 25 days ago
Phones may be smart now, but an idiot is still an idiot.
orinoco womble 25 days ago
In the old days we had to keep tabs on our stuff ourselves. If you lost your daily planner or pocket diary, you lost the info but the act of physically writing things down helps us remember, because you use three “learning gates”: eyes, hands and mind. Just typing stuff into your phone doesn’t have the same effect because you don’t physically shape the words.
Say What Now‽ Premium Member 25 days ago
Every solution brings a problem.
Zykoic 25 days ago
Try arguing with AI. It has a nonverbal learning disorder.
Charles 25 days ago
The fundamental rule of physics is that everything adds up to nothing.
markkahler52 25 days ago
A plus with a minus and a minus, a plus, times all the problems that come along with an equal sign just adds up to trouble….(divided by one’s abilities to withstand it all!)…..
monya_43 25 days ago
Results of the rule of unintended consequences. It’s one of the corollaries of Murphy’s Law.
Todd In Newton 25 days ago
As a flip phone user, I feel vindicated.
cdnalor 25 days ago
I’ve never known a device to be so convenient and inconvenient at the same time: convenient at what it can do and inconvenient to carry around comfortably in a pocket (too big) or to handle with my big dumb man hands (too small).
NeedaChuckle Premium Member 25 days ago
I have to go online to make appointments for blood tests ordered by doctor. They have me fill in a ton of info and issue an alpha code and a QR code. I get to the lab and have to fill in all the info AGAIN! Never asks for either code. My brother and I laff that someday you won’t be able to get anything done!!
Count Olaf Premium Member 25 days ago
Flip phones rock!
Ellis97 25 days ago
That’s why I got myself an actual planner.
The Fly Hunter 25 days ago
Pretty much….
hariseldon59 25 days ago
I actually find travel a lot easier to manage in this era of the internet and smart phones. The only minus occurs if my phone dies or gets lost or stolen.
Chris 25 days ago
spot the difference… if you can if any at all. :j
NaryGancy 25 days ago
Remember the old saying; Every silver lining has a cloud! :o) With that said, I honestly can’t remember how I planned vacations before the internet?? It had to be a lot more “work”.
Keno21 25 days ago
You take the goodYou take the badYou take them both and there you have the facts of lifeThe facts of life
DamnHappyChappy 25 days ago
It is the idiots that fork out a €1000+ for a smartphone that give normal idiots a bad name.
royq27 25 days ago
Is reading Pearls a plus or a minus?
CptnSpldng 25 days ago
Debits equal credits. It’s the first thing they teach you in accounting.
aerotica69 25 days ago
No travel, few activities, wall calendar for appointments, no smart phone – and I have not made that face in years.
David_the_CAD 25 days ago
You do need a negative sign (-) to make a positive sign (+)
nsaber 25 days ago
Went in to upgrade from my flip phone to a smart phone. Salesperson spent 10 minutes highlighting how great the camera was, etc, etc. Not ONE word about how the voice quality was for an actual phone call. When I asked they had no idea. Sigh.
Snoopy Copter 25 days ago
Social Media is the ability to find people to insult without consequences.
mindjob 25 days ago
There’s a direct correlation between the amount of work people do and how complicated it is to live. We do more with technology, but everything we do is that much more complex
win.45mag 25 days ago
Looks like he has a seashell for a tail.
prrdh 25 days ago
TANSTAAFL.
Cozmik Cowboy 25 days ago
No, Goat – stupidphones have no plus.
christelisbetty 25 days ago
Now days, phone are like clothes. One size DOES NOT fit all.
gregcomn 25 days ago
Plus cą change. . . .
awcoffman 25 days ago
That’s me trying figure out my new watch.
RitaGB 25 days ago
The smarter my phone, the more I rely on paper.
Queen of America 25 days ago
I just got my new 2025 calendar datebook. It’s all I need. It stays on my desk. Appointments, notes on when a book by a favorite author is being released, birthdays – it’s all there.
brick10 25 days ago
Plus and Minus – opposite sides of the same coin.
cupertino jay 25 days ago
dunno. signed, last ’murican without a mobile, aka desktops R us, not dead yet division (but i can see it from here)
Squirrel Chaser 25 days ago
I wish GoComics would update their comments format so that the comments are nested more than 1 tier deep. Would make following arguments . . . I mean conversations, easier.
elgrecousa Premium Member 25 days ago
Smart phones, wisely used, provide lots of advantages. Misusing them will surely result in lots of disadvantages. Act prudently.
zeexenon 25 days ago
Yes, let’s just keep hoping all that equal parts of positive and negative matter doesn’t meet.
John Jorgensen 25 days ago
Well thanks, Goat, for closing on such an optimistic note.
rugeirn 25 days ago
And the bottom line is, you can’t win. Your best option is to curl up in the fetal position and surrender.
curtlyon19 25 days ago
guys feeling philosophical today
Goat from PBS 25 days ago
Just wait ’til you get to multiplying negatives.
unfair.de 25 days ago
How old is Pig?
BW42 24 days ago
As we used to say, “artificial intelligence beats natural stupidity”…
willie_mctell 24 days ago
Collateral damage. It’s a feature not a bug.
Curiosity Premium Member 24 days ago
The question is the “Balance”. And sometimes the balancing act can be very, very difficult! (I wanted to say torturous, but not sure about the spelling!)
FGWaiss 24 days ago
Every silver lining has a cloud.
eddi-TBH 24 days ago
AI = Augmentative Idiocy. Y’all ain’t seen nothing yet.
PaintTheDust 24 days ago
Zero Sum.
Cathy P. 24 days ago
I’m not reading any of the comments today, because I know that there will be political negativism from Trumpers and Harrisers.
MacII 24 days ago
Stephan trying to work out how he can use the same panel twice. Oh wait …
bunrabbit99 24 days ago
more like everything comes with a minus.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 22 days ago
Annoying phones is a better word…..
tvstevie 20 days ago
Silver linings don’t justify clouds.