Ringtones and the Survival of the Species

NPR : Teens Turn 'Repeller' into Adult-Proof Ringtone

This week brought news that there is now a high-pitch frequency ringtone that can be heard by most teenagers, but not by adults. Tagged with names like "Teen Buzz," it is touted as a way for kids to communicate with each other without parents knowing. It appears that this new tech breakthrough could signal the further decline and ultimate end of Western Civilization.

Those of us who have been parents are not overly concerned. We have long known that there were sound levels that teens couldn't hear--like whatever frequency transmitted the words "clean your room." These words were seldom heard by teens, along with other phrases having to do with things like curfews and vegetables. So it is logically consistent to assume that there were also things we adults couldn't hear as well. It figures that these frequencies would show up on cellphones, gadgets that serve as lifelines for youth around the world.

I have to tell you that the idea of ringtones I can't hear did not send me to the depths of despair. I have sat in theaters and heard cellphones that ring by playing Beethoven's Unfinished Symphony. The ringing went on and on while someone tore through their purse trying to find their phone. Thank God Beethoven didn't finish the darn thing.

But I think there may be a deeper issue to ponder here, one well beyond whether a 14-year-old can furtively buzz a friend and send a text message from places where cellphones are supposed to be turned off, whether by legal or parental decree

It has to do with communication, both its quantity and its quality. It has to do with noise and understanding. It has to do with linking what is being said to what is being heard. I believe we have a crisis in our culture that is driven by problems in communication.

In the movie Cool Hand Luke, the character played by Paul Newman utters the memorable words, "What we've got here is failure to communicate." In the context of the film it's a hilarious line. Today it's a serious call to all of us who care about global community.

While I earlier made light-hearted comment about adult/teen communication, in truth I know how meaningful it can be when significant understandings are achieved across generations. Kids and parents do think differently, do draw upon unique experiences, and do express themselves in distinct ways. Some of my most memorable conversations have been with our kids, including a long time before they became adults. When those built-in barriers are overcome the result is powerful and redemptive.

The same principle applies to all kinds of human diversities--racial, gender, sexual orientation, economic, geographic, language. On and on it goes.

Communication boils down to listening for the purpose of understanding. First we hear, then we reflect, then we speak.

Let's all download that high frequency ringtone and see if we can train our ears to hear it. After all, we wouldn't want to miss a call, would we?

I'm getting tired of the William Tell Overture ringing on my phone anyway.


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