Number

Lots of people I talk to are telling me that the quality of things in America have started to suffer.


"People don't care much anymore."

"I'm not a special customer."

"All of the sudden, I'm just a purchase number."

And your point? Isn't that what we've always wanted? Over the years we have cried out for things to be faster. We have pushed for self chekout lines at stores, insist on using the drive through window even though we have enough time to go into the store, and we complain when our dry cleaning isn't ready in 5 hours.

America, this system that you have created is YOUR fault! If you wanted things to be all about you, then you needed to have given some thought about making everything more personalized. If you want someone to remember your name, you have to give them time. Let them talk to you, let them put facts to a face. If you just want to hurry through your day and get everything instantly, then you're going to have to put up with just being another number.

We created computers so that our lives would be faster. With computers, everything seemed better. But now look:

In the taco bell line, you're given an order number.

In the DMV office, you're given a waiting number.

When you shop online, you're given tons of different purchase and tracking numbers.

At universities, you're given a student ID number.

Banks give us routing and account numbers.

We all have different license numbers.


This number system isn't their fault, it's the fault of a society that has evolved a need for speed, literally. Keep this little fact in your mind: we say that humans aren't machines. Tu

Slowing down is hard to do, I know. But if you try is sometime, then you will probably find that, though your numbers will always be there due to the set up of our current system, the number itself won't matter so much anymore.

I go to a local coffee shop quite often. Most of the time, I'll stay and talk with the barista (no, it is NOT Starbucks) for at least a good 10-20 minutes. Seems like a lot of wasted time, right?

Time is only wasted on things that don't really matter. You have to chose what matters, then you will find that you've wasted no time at all.