Number’s, Number’s Everywhere

Are we under attack from numbers? Everywhere we are expected to remember groups of numbers to excess, pin numbers, access codes, and heaven knows how many mobile phone numbers are changed with each sim card these days.

So what would happen if you or I were to forget, confuse or in panic block yourself from access because of repeatedly using a wrong combination?

To some degree I feel we have almost reached numerical insanity, possibly sending us over the top in a screaming tirade of abusive mathematical equations, sending us to some sought of Numerical Therapist (I like that title, I might apply). But seriously, essential as it is there must come a point when it ceases to make sense. I have stood there at a supermarket checkout, there in front, someone younger than I am, and I am 63, there they are consulting a small diary to locate the pin number to the credit card they are using, already they have tried three attempts and after the third failure, their card will be blocked. Alright it is a spin off of the thieving jerks that rip you off of your money, but in the end, is all this entire obsession with numbers really working; or is it turning us into numerical mental wrecks. Perhaps someone will sue a credit card company for loss of memory, or mental arithmetical assault.

I do err on the side of commonsense, believing that some security is needed, however, I feel that the amount of money wasted in chip and pin has been a complete failure, indeed I feel that the obsessive use of numbers to access has actually breached security. In all walks of life people are finding it difficult to recall these multitudinous numbers; in so doing they have placed these numbers in books, stored them in mobiles, hid them files on computers and shared them with family or friends, or worse left themselves open by being too casual at the keypad. In all it has become a farcical mess, which will cost an unbelievable sum to change, that is if there is any reasonable alternative.

Perhaps it is the fault of the system that demands these security measures, a bit like the days of VHS or BETA, if only they would develop a system that caught the criminal instead of using the customers to act as their security devices.

Is it not true that we are all being used to do their work, we pay them all means of charges etc. etc. etc. and we have to work for them unpaid, then they still charge us for extra protection with insurance cover.

Is this fair? Is this right? Is this a numerical nightmare.