When I was born, I was given a anklet with my name...and a number.
Then I was given my SSN.
Then I got my library card number.
Then I got my bank account number.
Then I got my student number.
Anywhere I go to be a patient, dentist, orthodontist, doctor, etc. I'm known as a number.
My family has a Fresh Values number, as well as Sam's Club, and Albertson's, etc.
Then I transferred to a different school, and got a different student number.
I lost my library card, and was given a new number.
I switched banks so I could have checking, and I was given two new numbers.
I got my driver's license, and got yet, another number.
My grades are also numbers. No one looks at the "A" or the "B", but the grand total...3.2.
Water Polo players are considered "good" only by the number of goals they have scored...no one seems to look at the playmakers or the defense.
Swimmers are scrutinized for their times...gee, more numbers.
Resumes are searched for numbers...years of experience, age, years in school, etc.
I soon start to believe that I am only a series of numbers. My name isn't Abby Norman, it's an afterthought. It's a number, a different number to different people.
In a world where the combination of numbers are endless, do names even matter anymore? Will the day arrive when the newborns are named "49875938" instead of "Mike Jones"? Only our favorite people (or not so favorite) know our actual names, like family and friends. But ask someone who does business with you, and they'll have to look up a number, or scan a barcode to get your name. You can't simply say, "I'm Mike Jones." They'll have a blank look on their face, and their computer. You have to say your SSN or something like that. Yes, I understand why, but...why? Is it just me, or do others also feel some slight annoyance for being known as a series of numbers?
3 comments:
Hmmm...I already left a comment here, and it's not coming up. Perhaps it will later, and I don't want to retype everything I already did, so I'll give you the old comment in outline form:
I. You're right. There are many numbers assigned to us, and lots to remember really.
II. I lost my library card too, and recently replaced it for three dollars. Blast.
III. There's a guy that lives in my ward named Mike Jones. Seriously.
To tell you the truth, that's really all I said. heh.
Brittanica, that is really weird that there's a Mike Jones in your ward...I was totally making up a name at the last possible instant. Sorry about your loss of three precious dollars. Could be used to buy maybe a gallon of gas. I forgot about all the password or pin numbers that we have to remember on top of everything else...ugh.
Part 1: Mike Jones is also the name of a rap artist.
Eddybody in the house, Mike JONES, Mike JONES.
Part 2: I felt like a number in college.
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