Like many other people, my daughter and I both have cell phones. The idea is for us to be able to quickly and easily talk wherever, whenever. The reality is quite different… sort of.

Earlier today my wife and I were (as usual) trying to decide what to have for supper. As a deciding factor, she asked if our daughter (a sophomore in college) would be eating with us or her boyfriend.

This according to the commercials is the very moment cell phones are made for. I whipped out my awesome new phone and called my daughter…. straight to voicemail. No problem. She often responds quicker to texts than calls. I send her a text message asking if she is eating at home.

We do some groceries. We do more groceries somewhere else. We decide to have subs for supper.

As we leave the grocery store I get a text saying she is eating with her boyfriend. I say “No problem. Thanks for the heads up.”. Two hours later, I receive another text apologising for not letting us know earlier. That for me is the great irony of super accessible instant communications.

By it’s very ubiquity, it is rendered mundane. Because it is so overexposed, we tend not to think of it as a communication tool. Instead it’s a cool gadget, a toy, anything but a phone.

A greater irony lies in its illusion of connectedness. I am fortunate to enjoy a very close and loving relationship with my daughter. We talk frequently and easily about anything and everything. A simple question about supper took longer to receive a reply to than it would if she were on Mars.

The very ubiquity of our connectedness has in some ways disconnected us. That’s the Techo iRony of it.

Cheers, Winston