What happened to commitment?

If you were born after 1983, this might describe you. I make no apologies. I rant.

Often people make "plans" to meet these days, but do not nail down the specifics. Why? I posit that it is due to the technological ease with which they may contact the other party and change things regardless of geographical location.

It used to be that we would make plans to meet a specific person or people at a specific place at a specific time. Now it's usually, that maybe so-and-so will meet so-and-so and some other people might join us, or might not, and we'll meet around the such and such area.

What the fuck is this? Is it so damn hard to pick a specific place and time and say you'll be there and be done with it? And why do you have to call at the time we are supposed to meet to announce that plans have changed? Is it because you can? Is it the technology that made them do it?

It seems that people don't commit to plans, because they can always contact the other party and change the plans.

Am I missing something? Am I wrong? Of course not; I am the NetRanter.

And it's not only the after 1983ers who do this, though certainly it affects them much more than the others. It's not necessarily 1983 exactly, but certainly those born after that time are more certainly more likely to be seen exhibiting this behavior.

Is it so damn hard to commit to a time and place and meet there.

Any why are the plans constantly changing or changing right at the time that you were going to meet in the first place. Is it disrespect for the other parties who you agreed to meet. Is it that when people who are all in this age range are used to making plans like this and not committing to each other, and therefore when they make plans to meet someone who is not used to this that it just sticks out really dramatically and seems weird. I believe this is probably the case. I think that people these days are just not committing to specific plans, and I'm the oddball to notice it and point it out. Can't I just adjust to the times and stop being an old fuddie duddie?

I know that I used to call people at home when they were home, due to the fact that there were no answering machines...let alone voice-mail, and talk to the people directly. We would make a plan to meet at a specific place and time and then we would all work to be there at that time and place, because we had committed to the plans. Also, there was usually no way to contact the people close to the time we were due to meet, since everyone was on their way to the meeting place or at the meeting place already. If there was an emergency you might call the meeting place and try to describe the people you are going to meet. "I have an emergency, and I need your help. I'm trying to reach a customer named, 'Greg Thompson,' who is a tall guy with dark hair. Can you see if he's there? I'm supposed to meet him, but our friend Rob, was in a terrible traffic accident and we're calling from the hospital." Something like that.

Hey, is this why companies also act like this collectively? The plans they make are not specific and they fall through on their commitments and change their plans.

Is this human nature?

There are too many questions to be answered here, and I'm supposed to be busy ranting. You tell me!