My nephew asked me what a 'busy signal' was yesterday

I was trying to explain calling someone on a landline and he just stared at me. It hit me how much basic stuff from just 20 years ago is totally gone now. Does anyone else get those weird moments where you realize you're explaining ancient history?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela_carter1mo ago

He didn't know what a landline was?

mila5261mo ago

Keep a cheap corded phone plugged in somewhere. Kids need to see the actual hardware. Show them the curly cord and the wall jack. It clicks when they see it all connected.

the_blair10d ago

angela_carter questioning if he didn't know what a landline was is kind of missing the point. Honestly, maybe we should stop acting like every piece of old tech is some sacred thing kids need to learn about. Do they really need to understand a busy signal when they've never had to deal with one? That noise was annoying anyway and we all hated it. Let the past die, it's not like teaching them about rotary phones will help them send a text.