Get lost

What we lose by mapping every trip

When I was a freshman in college, Jonny Schwartz welcomed me to town by accidentally putting his heel through my front tooth during a touch football game. The tooth hung on by a thread and would require a root canal, but the hard part wasn’t getting the tooth treated. It was finding my way to the dentist in a world before our phones wouldn’t let us get lost.

As a Millenial, most of my life has been shaped by its access to the internet, but I also have distinct memories from the handful of years before the family computer had dial-up. On the day in question, I had a cell phone, but all it did was call and text. This was such a different time that if I exchanged numbers with someone, I was more likely to call than text them because, though neither minutes nor texts were unlimited, I actually had more of the former.

Before heading out to the dentist, I’m sure I looked up directions, but whether it was the overconfidence of a college freshman or nervousness over the health of my mouth, I neglected to bring them with me. Soon after I got off the train, I zigged when I should have zagged and became hopelessly lost. No passersby had heard of this random dental practice, so like I’d do today, I pulled out my phone. Instead of summoning directions via GPS, I called around until I reached an uncle who was more familiar with the city and able to use the internet connection in his office to get me back on track. I owe you one, Red.

A few years later I inherited a Blackberry from my sister that had Google Maps and a prehistoric web browser. From that day forward, I’ve always had a pretty good idea of where I was, and anytime I veer off track, the phone reroutes me to my destination whether I want it to or not.

I’m not nostalgic for days when poor planning and a sore tooth could get me lost, but I do wonder what we lose by trading the possibility of chance discoveries for the convenience of instant and exact results. There were plenty of other times when not having a map in my pocket allowed me to get to know my new city in a way that I couldn’t today. Restaurants discovered by sight and smell. A quiet walking path that was by no means the fastest route. But in a world where we couldn’t get lost if we tried, are we missing out on the trip, even if the end result is still our butts in a dentist’s chair?