There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting things. I would argue wanting is natural. Dustin Curtis’ wants, although futuristic, are completely in the realm of feasibility and are completely justifiable.

When we discuss needs on the other hand, people become a bit sticky. Needs are objective and are natural for all human beings. The obvious needs quickly come to mind; food, water, shelter and clothing are abundant and are horribly isolated to a small portion of the entire human race.

Yet, needs are completely subjective as well. In Canada, for instance, there may be a need to understand the English language to some extent. Workers need to understand bits of a country’s main language to properly contribute to the work force and provide for his or her family. The same need for English may not hold true in non-English-speaking countries.

Therefore, I’m here to argue that a telephone — and, more specifically, a cell phone — is becoming a need in Western culture. The channel for communication between potential employers, potential buyers and potential colleagues has never been more essential. This information age has created an instant demand for immediate data, immediate answers and immediate decisions. A telephone opens that necessary line of communication. I don’t believe a company would hire an individual who they could not contact for an interview. And that interview could be the difference between a full and an empty belly.

You can certainly make the claim that a telephone is not necessary for human function. There are other channels for communication that don’t involve the immediacy of a telephone. But our lives revolve around the circle of money. And that circle does not revolve without proper communication and immediate action.

So, just as it is crazy for Dustin Curtis to want a system that continuously scans his body for disease, so too is it crazy to say that a telephone is an essential tool for survival.

There will have been a time when the telephone was a futuristic, far-off want that sounded as farfetched as a New York to San Francisco subway ride. But how quickly did that telephone become normal for every day operation? How quickly will borderless and unlimited data usage become mainstream?

If the rate set by the introduction of the telephone is maintained, I bet our wants will become our needs far sooner than we expect.

On another note, this is my first article written using Writer Pro. So far, it seems pretty good. The editing mode is fantastic. A couple other nitpicks, but I think I’ll end up purchasing the iOS version as well.