We could still all dial phone numbers by hand... now 10 digits instead of 7 in the US, now spread across all the area codes, instead of mostly local, but why?

We could still all dial phone numbers by hand... now 10 digits instead of 7 in the US, now spread across all the area codes, instead of mostly local, but why? If you dial wrong, you'll sometimes get an angry person wondering why you disturbed them, who now has your number, and surplus rage. That risk is too darned high for me to deal with, so I have about a handful of numbers I actually know.... Mom, Me, Wife, Home, Friend, and that's it. All the rest are written down in a few places, and never dialed by hand, ever. On the other hand, I know how paper maps work, and can get anywhere in the US without relying on Google maps for real-time directions. (Though...really... traffic info is SO handy) Thinking is expensive as is memorizing things, so if there's no benefit, we won't do it. Noticing that things have changed since you were a kid, can be shocking, but it's not a sign of permanent decline.