https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/15/business/flip-phone-gen-z-ctrp/index.html

One of my favorite NCIS episodes was when the agency was being hacked, so in order to communicate they were all given flip phones.  Except for Agent Gibbs.  He already had a flip phone.  As a matter of fact, most of the agents had spent several seasons making fun of his antiquated technology, urging him to get with the times. During the course of this particular episode, the agents tried diligently to learn how to answer the phone and then the absolute worse, text on the thing.  Agent Gibbs was enjoying the experience immensely.

And now, Gen Z is coming around to Gibbs' way of thinking.  This generation claims they need to be reminded to stay connected personally and socially instead of just by phone.  So, they are leaving their smart phones at home.  You might inquire why they don't just stay off the phones they have instead of buying new phones.  Why do we buy gym memberships?  To remind us to exercise.  Why don't we just walk?  Or why do I have a stack of post-it-notes? To remind me of the many things I would otherwise forget. If that is what it takes, I applaud the effort.

I look around at restaurants and see couples, families, etc. at tables, all on their phones, no one talking to each other.  When my family is all at home and watching a movie, as soon as the credits roll, the phones come out.  We could discuss the movie, critique it, analyze it, compare it, but we don't.  We go to the phone.  In some cases, the phones come out before the movie ends.  And no matter how good we think we are at multi-tasking, when you are trying to do two things, neither gets our full attention.

So, Gen Z, congratulations.  You have brought back some things I wish you had left in the closet, but I like the idea of bell bottoms and flip phones.  Agent Jethro Gibbs would be proud.