I don't want a mobile phone
From Carls wiki
I don't have a mobile phone, and I don't want one. Mobile phone density in Sweden is very high, and as a consequence I receive everything from strange looks to outright criticism for not wanting one. Since I do feel I have my reasons, I have decided to summarise them below.
I prefer other means of communication
I write a lot of emails, and enjoy doing so. I enjoy talking with people, though not on the phone if I can avoid it. Here's my personal table of methods of communication:
| Like | Don't like |
|---|---|
| Face-to-face | Phone |
| Chat | |
| Hand-written letters | Text messages on mobile phones |
I think this is because I prefer forms of communication which tend to engage one completely, instead of engaging one half-heartedly. Because of this, the former generally has a much higher quality than the former. And I like quality.
I practically never have urgent things to say
The closest I come to really wanting to say something quickly to someone — either via phone or via texting — is when I'm due to meet someone. Apparently people tend not to plan ahead very much nowadays since almost everyone has a mobile phone anyway and can be reached whenever needed. It is in these kinds of situations that my friends croak the loudest.
I don't want to buy a mobile phone just for conveying last-minute changes of plans, because I don't like last-minute changes of plans. Maybe somehow it doesn't please my Asperger nature... I just like to know my plans well ahead of time. Having a mobile phone is no help here, on the contrary it obstructs my natural preferences of planning well ahead of time.
(Note that even I sometimes join in on last-minute activites. So if you're a friend reading this and thinking of contacting me for a fun evening of something-or-other, don't let this particular reasoning discourage you. You'll just have to reach me through something else than a mobile phone. Mail usually works quite well.)
I don't want to be reached all the time
Usually I just don't want to be disturbed in what I'm doing because I'm doing something important. This is less self-centered than it sounds. I simply find that I get more done without interruptions, and interruptions include sudden phone calls. I already get these with my office phone, but most are work-related (and from people who don't have my kind of confidence in email). I detest the idea of carrying around a device which would enable anyone to disturb me at any time.
