Broadband Access on Planes

Should we be rejoicing? Or, should we worry about things like privacy, etiquettes and intrusive conversations. I think there’s a happy middle ground. I had recently gone to Yosemite National Park with a few friends. I wanted to get in touch with the outside world via cell phone. The argument that I got was that it was better we didn’t have cell phone access and that we were cut off from the rest of the world. Why does it have to be a forced seclusion? If I wanted to be out of touch with the rest of the world while I was there, couldn’t I just switch off my cell phone?

That we have the ability to send/receive e-mails and phone calls, surf the Net, possibly make important financial decisions via our online brokerage accounts is such a conservation of time. If I wanted to talk to my fellow passenger on the plane, I’d do so even if I did have broadband access. Now if I didn’t have broadband access, does it necessarily imply I’d be having a conversation? I could meditate w/ or w/o broadband access. I could read a book w/ or w/o broadband access. I could get a shuteye w/ or w/o broadband access.