I have an unpleasant senario for you to run through your mind. An amateur astronomer spots something odd through his telescope. He networks with other amateurs and public observtories, and it is confirmed, earth's long awaited nemesis in approaching in the form of an asteroid. Calculations determine that it will intersect earth's orbit in five years, and it has sufficient mass to decimate our species along with most others. Unless mankind can destroy or divert the stone of death, 90% of all life is doomed.

A plan is formulated, and executed. It is a collosal failure. The small planet is still screaming towards us, and now there's not enough time to do anything about it. If only we had just a few more days we might stand a chance...

If mankind had spent less time on the telephone, we would have had enough time to save our dying planet. Talking on the phone is phoney, and a waste. Most social calls do not differ significantly from this sample phone call I have transcribed:

Them: Hey man, what's up?
Me: Not much, you?
Them: I'm good.
Me: Good.
Them: How are things?
Me: Fine.
Them: Good.
Me: Well, gotta go.
Them: Okay, see you around.
Me: Yep.

And that's it. Phone calls, and fellowship in general in most cases, boils down to that. It's all so petty, and pointless, and predictable. It's boring. It's possible to know how most any conversation is going to end before it ever begins, so why bother even having it? One could have that conversation in their own head and save both parties the time and trouble. Those hours and days given to yacking on the phone about nothing could be spent prying into all the secrets of the universe, or building things that no one has ever seen before.

What wonders might the earth have known,
If not for the telephone?