... you realize you're not texting GO Transit.
Text message from 4168478XXXX (Random Person - RP)
to 19054427423 (Me - CJ)
May 27 2012 3:16 PM
RP: Do you know where specifically in Union Station I go to pick up something from Lost and Found?
CJ: You go to Lost and Found?
RP: K, I know that but where is it
CJ: Inside Union Station
RP: Seriously?! WTF .......where in Union Station???
CJ: Why don't you call them and ask?
RP: Call the Lost and Found?
CJ: Yes
RP: What's the number?
CJ: The hell I know?
RP: What?
RP: You don't know the number?
CJ: No.
RP: How come you don't know the number?
CJ: The same reason you don't ... I guess.
RP: Who the hell is this?
CJ: Cindy
RP: Cindy who?
CJ: Just Cindy
RP: I want your full name. K?
CJ: Why?
RP: So I can report you
CJ: To who?
RP: To your supervisor
CJ: You mean my mom?
(long pause)
CJ: Don't worry. The stupid feeling goes away in about a day or so
The amusing thing is when you realize that they had time to google a phone number but not "union station lost and found."
ReplyDeleteI read these and lament at the state of today's youth. The interwebs are great, but it has made for a whole generation of lazy people.
ReplyDelete@ Squiggles umm I've had the experience that it's the older generation NOT "today's youth" who are lazy with their searching and seem to be incapable of moving past a single search option. Today's elders are the ones who are lazy and can't get past the first search result.
ReplyDeleteLil Nat:
ReplyDeleteI haven't found that at all. Hence my comment. But maybe I am dealing with different people from the generation older than myself. But I do know that the universities/colleges today are churning out people who cannot find information unless it is on wikipedia.
OK, colour me confused. I'm still trying to understand (i) what search keywords (in the context of lost and found) bring CJ's cell phone number to the top of the results list, and (2) why people insist on exchanging text messages rather than just dialing the number. In the old days, we'd pick up the phone and actually talk to someone. Yes, I'm a dinosaur. :-D
ReplyDeleteLil Nat, I think your missing Squiggles point. It's not about technological adoption.
ReplyDeleteOne of the failings of some of today's youth is a sense that all others are obligated to respond to thier every, and any need. I speculate that this comes from parents and schools removing as many obsticles in the child's day to day life, thereby creating an unrealistic expectation of how life will unfold.
The world outside of the classroom or home has never been a giving or forgiving place.
This has resulted in a reduced willingness to invest in the efforts required to obtain desired goals and high expectation for others to help meet those goals.
Now get off my grass! :-)
Skin Man,
ReplyDeleteYou have to hike your pants up to your nipples, open a can of weak american beer and say "get off my lawn"
Either that or the other stereotype of a Grampa sitting in a Rocking chair on the porch with the shot gun across his lap.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't missing the point, I fully got the point but I felt it was generalized and subjective analysis passed off as fact.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you guys say it's the younger generation, because my experience is opposite. That it is the parental generation that seems to be adopting this entitlement, where they seem to think that their children of a certain age or technical prowess are obligated to provide them with the services they want.
That being said I am one of those "old souls" who likes to sit out on her front porch and people-watch all night...All I'm missing is the shotgun!
Now I'm going to type a bunch of keywords into Google to see how someone get's CJ's # at the top of (or best option on) the list.
And I definitely just tried a bunch of keywords in a search and each time GO Transit FAQ came up as the top result each time. That or how to report your lost phone to block your number....
ReplyDeletePeople are dumb. Someone must really suck at picking keywords for a search. The only thing I can think of is that they overcomplicated the search by typing a full and complex sentence like "I lost my phone on the Lakeshore train at 4 what number can I call to get it back?" (Actually it would have to be more vague because GO has keywords to pull the search to the FAQ result)...
Officially stumped. I think next time CJ gets this question, she should ask them to send her a screenshot of her search box entry so she can ensure the proper channels receive their inquiry ;) Then give them a fake reference number.
From my site log...
ReplyDeleteBelow is the sentence typed into Google that could have triggered this text exchange. The times line up.
"lost something on GO train can I text?"
Oh hells no.
ReplyDeleteI *like* that I get these text messages.
It's why I do what I do.
It's why I live.
Lil Nat:
ReplyDeleteI can not believe you've encountered a significant number of people over 30 who "expect services". Wait unless you mean chores! Heaven forbid one must help around the house!
This is the problem....its all me to so many youth. They fail to see the need for shared responsibility for a home.
You clearly don't get it!
@Anon,
ReplyDeleteI live with my husband, in our own home, that we pay for and have to take care of on our own. I don't live with my parents. I do however provide assistance with that whenever they need it.
I'm not talking about chores and help around the house. I'm talking about technical assistance. Your children are not here to bend to your every whim and demand related to technology. We've explained it to you, you clearly didn't listen and need it explained again? How many times does someone need to repeat themselves for you to understand? And sometimes, heaven forbid, we don't know how to fix your problem and you'll just have to pay someone to do it.
And I'm not just talking about one's children. Countless times I'm in the office, being a busy little bee and get the same people (typically my of the older generation) asking me the same questions about the same stuff related to technology over and over again. I don't get paid to be IT support, we have a department for that. What's that? Dealing with me is faster for you? How nice for you, I don't have work to do so I'll come waste my time AGAIN showing you how to open a Word document...no problem!
You're the one who clearly doesn't get it!
My children are on this planet to be at my beck and call. That's why I had so many!
ReplyDelete