Roads & Routes — GPS Vs Brain Use

“Damn, my phone is dead,” James calls out glancing to his right for a second.

“Let me out!” Marla cried out as he hit the brakes at the yellow light.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouts glancing at her.

“I am not lending you my phone!” She notified.

“Mine is dead too,” the other two passengers at the back inform in unison.

“How are we going to get home?” he asked.

“You can’t find your way home without GPS?” Marla cried out as she opened the car door.

“It’s a two-hour drive,” he fires back.

“Use your damn brain,” she said stepping out.

“Come on Marla, who have the time to be studying these roads?” he complains. “I have a stressful work environment, hell at home with my wife and her family. I am lucky I manage to get through the day and back and forth to work.”

“You take this journey twice a day for the past three months and your brain records nothing!”

“Lend me your charger then?” he pleads.

“You forget to bring a charger too?” she asks, eyes on the passengers in the back seat.

“We aren’t the ones driving?” they said, again in unison.

“I told you I am going through hell!” he fired back.

“And that’s the best time to focus on what’s in front of you to prevent accidents! For God’s sake you are carpooling!”

“Len me the darn charger,” he repeated,

“So, if your phone doesn’t charge for you to use your GPS, you won’t be able to get home?” Marla asked.

“Blame technology girl, lend me the damn charger. You know bus don’t take this route!” he demands, his right hand stretched out as loud horns demand he get going.

He glance behind him, "Dammit," he screeched through his teeth eye on Marla.

Who glared back, battling with her impulses, then curiosity demands, "You really forgot your route after taking it twice per day for two months?"

Horns beat in unison louder and he pulled closer to the sidewalk, allowing them to go.

"I am sorry," Marla said easing away. "I am not going to help you diminish your brain use. Between the three of you, find a way to get home!"

Marla slammed the car door walking away.

“Hey!” he called out following her. “Give up the charger!”

“Use you brain to get home!” Marla said.

What will happen to James and the other passengers?

Did they get home?

Of course, they did.

I notice this habit in many drivers. None of them take the time to know their routes or the roads they frequent in case technology fails. Everywhere I go, I read signs and roads. I have a map of many areas in my head. My brain records everywhere I go and will remind me that you were here before.

Humans are no longer relying on their brains, they trust GPS without a second thought, diminishing brain use. Misery and mistakes are what we will have to endure when we forget how to use our brains. For the ones who solely rely on technology, let your brain be your backup system when technology fails.

AI is important and valuable to us in many ways. How it’s used will increase its value. It shouldn’t be competing with our brain for our decisions and attention. Our decisions are made from a place AI can’t reach or understand.

Brain use demands common sense. So does AI.

Know your roads. Know your routes. Use your brain, then AI!

As we say in Jamaica, ‘short cut draw blood. Long cut draw sweat.’

Blood or sweat with a valuable lesson?

Which will it be?

Will he use his brain to get home?

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoy it.