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Smart phones, Humans and Aliens.

A Public Announcement

By Novel AllenPublished about a month ago Updated about a month ago 2 min read
Top Story - January 2026

WARNING.

I will be tapping into one of your favorite creative tensions: The absurdity of humans worshipping their glowing rectangles as if they were tiny oracles. There’s something deliciously poetic about that contradiction, and it lends itself beautifully to an instructive proviso.

Here I give you a silly, light‑hearted glance into how an alien may view our preoccupation with said smartphones. It will read like a set of “instructions” for people who let their smartphones outsmart them. It keeps things whimsical, not at all judgmental - more like a trickster spirit nudging humans back toward common sense.

Markus Spiske on Unsplash

📱✨ “Instructions for Humans Who Think they are smart - but only to find out that - Their Phones Are Smarter Than They Are”. Or Vice Versa.

Step 1:

Before you bow to your smartphone...

Remember: it is just a rather complicated rectangle,

not a reincarnated ancestor with secrets hidden in secret places.

Nor is it a scholarly thing, with a PhD in Everything.

Step 2:

If you walk into a lamppost , because you were texting or sending an emoji,

please apologize to the lamppost. It was standing there long before you were even born.

Remember: the aliens watching may be having a good laugh, when you cross the street while peering into your phone and accidentally come in contact with Newton's Second Law ...(Force =mass x acceleration) and the transfer of kinetic energy (the store of energy of a moving object)...total force determined by vehicle's mass and speed.

Or when you drive while texting and end up sending the wrong texts to the wrong person. End of relationship, hurtful words and hopefully - not bodily harm!

Step 3:

When your phone autocorrects ,“on my way”, to "impotent walrus”,

do not panic.

This is simply the phone reminding you who the real trickster is.

And it's not you.

Step 4:

If you ask your phone for wisdom, and it gives you directions to a place you already are, take a breath. This is a sign that you should lead your own expedition.

Step 5:

Do not hurl your phone angrily at the wind when it freezes.

It is merely meditating...in tune with the wind.

Join it. You may surprise yourself.

Step 6:

When in doubt, use your ancient human powers: eyes, ears, intuition,

and that mysterious thing - called “thinking before doing.”

Final Instruction:

Remember:

the phone is “smart” , because humans built it.

So if you act silly, the phone is not to blame - it is only following

its slightly confused creator or user.

A spirit of glass may be clever, but a spirit of flesh should be wiser.

Use the cleverness, guard your wisdom.

By Drew Beamer on Unsplash

Free Versehumorinspirational

About the Creator

Novel Allen

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. (Maya Angelou). Genuine accomplishment is not about financial gain, but about dedicating oneself to activities that bring joy and fulfillment.

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Comments (17)

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  • Shirley Belkabout a month ago

    divinely amusing!!! loved it

  • Love it.

  • Dharrsheena Raja Segarranabout a month ago

    Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊

  • Lamar Wigginsabout a month ago

    Hilarious and so true. Every bit of it. Great entry, Novel! 🤩

  • Marilyn Gloverabout a month ago

    So creative and funny, too! People always make me laugh with their funny phone antics. Phones actually really annoy me, but I sure do love watching others do ridiculous things. Congratulations, Novel, on your top story and for making this week's leadership board! This was most enjoyable. 👏🥳❤

  • Lana V Lynxabout a month ago

    Loved this, Novel!

  • Congratulations on your Top Story!!!!

  • Sara Wilsonabout a month ago

    Back to tell you congrats on your well deserved top story!!

  • John Smithabout a month ago

    The bit about apologizing to the lamppost made me laugh out loud, but then the line about the phone giving directions to a place you’re already at weirdly sobered me up — I’ve had that exact moment where I realized I was outsourcing awareness without noticing. I like how this reads less like a scolding and more like a playful nudge from someone standing slightly to the side, watching us all shuffle around with our glowing rectangles. It made me think about how often I reach for my phone out of habit instead of need, like muscle memory I never agreed to. Do you think we’d actually feel bored or lost if we stepped back from them, or would something quieter and more human creep back in?

  • Harper Lewisabout a month ago

    Love, love, love this.

  • Aarsh Malikabout a month ago

    Novel, this felt like you smiling at us while gently tapping us on the shoulder. I love how your voice stays playful instead of preachy, it’s clear you’re enjoying the joke with humanity, not above it. This reads like something written by someone who understands our absurd habits because you’re right there living them too.

  • Bozhan Bozhkovabout a month ago

    "and that mysterious thing - called “thinking before doing.” " more and more we lack thinking

  • Tiffany Gordonabout a month ago

    Fantabulous! Witty & wisdom-filled No No! Get it gurl! 🫶🏾💕

  • Sandy Gillmanabout a month ago

    This gave me a good laugh! “Apologize to the lamppost” was the best! I definitely have some lampposts I need to say sorry too!

  • Sid Aaron Hirjiabout a month ago

    this was hilarious

  • Sara Wilsonabout a month ago

    This made me laugh out loud more than once 🤣 The lamp post 🤣 What a great entry, Novel!

  • Antoni De'Leonabout a month ago

    Ha ha ha. I'm with the aliens on this topic. Good one N.

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