--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You should not be a slave to your…" description: "\"You should not be a slave to your telephone. The technology is there to serve you, not the other way around.\" — Martin Cooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/martin-cooper-6928_around_you-should-not-be-a-slave-to-your-teleph_1918175.png" --- # You should not be a slave to your telephone. The… ![“You should not be a slave to your telephone. The technology is there to serve you, not the other way around.” quote by Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/martin-cooper-6928_around_you-should-not-be-a-slave-to-your-teleph_1918175.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/martin-cooper-6928_around_you-should-not-be-a-slave-to-your-teleph_1918175.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/martin-cooper-6928_around_you-should-not-be-a-slave-to-your-teleph_1918175.png) > “You should not be a slave to your telephone. The technology is there to serve you, not the other way around.” [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Technology should be a tool that follows your priorities, not dictates them. **In simple terms:** Let tech serve you, not control you. Key Takeaway Prioritize your life over devices. Themes technology control balance Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily work - personal relationships - social media usage Key Concepts autonomy digital wellbeing user agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you set boundaries with tech? - What habits make you feel enslaved? A Different Perspective Devices can still become addictive despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Serve Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serve-way-2785040/) [Slave Telephone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave-telephone-2929787/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Technology Serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology-serve-441735/) [Telephone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telephone/) [Telephone Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telephone-technology-2745348/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [There was a time when nails were high-tech. There was a time when people had to be told how to use a telephone. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-de-angeli/each-of-us-has-his-place-in-the-world-he-said-if-we-cannot-serve-in/) [Marguerite de Angeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-de-angeli/) > [Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/whenever-you-serve-others-in-any-way-you-are-actually-serving-god/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“LOVE ALL SERVE ALL AND THAT'S THE WAY TO BE LOVED BY ALL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-baba/love-all-serve-all-and-that-s-the-way-to-be-loved-by-all/) [Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-baba/) > [I'm always trying whatever the latest telephone is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/i-m-always-trying-whatever-the-latest-telephone-is/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [Wireless is freedom. It's about being unleashed from the telephone cord and having the ability to be virtually anywhere when you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/wireless-is-freedom-it-s-about-being-unleashed-from-the-telephone/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [I think what's really going to happen is we're going to have a lot of different kinds of phones when our industry grows up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/i-think-what-s-really-going-to-happen-is-we-re-going-to-have-a-lot-of/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [We predicted the concept of a telephone that isn't tied to a wall or a desk. We anticipated that everyone would have a cell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/we-predicted-the-concept-of-a-telephone-that-isn-t-tied-to-a-wall-or/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) ## More by Martin Cooper > [Just think of what a world it would be if we could measure the characteristics of your body when you get sick and transmit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/just-think-of-what-a-world-it-would-be-if-we-could-measure-the/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [The future of cellular telephony is to make people's lives better - the most important way, in my view, will be the opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/the-future-of-cellular-telephony-is-to-make-people-s-lives-better-the/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [Cellular phones will absolutely not replace local wire systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/cellular-phones-will-absolutely-not-replace-local-wire-systems/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [People are mobile. They move around, and anytime they want to communicate, if you tie them to the wall or the wires, you're restricting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/people-are-mobile-they-move-around-and-anytime-they-want-to/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [I have a mantra that people are naturally, fundamentally and inherently mobile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/i-have-a-mantra-that-people-are-naturally-fundamentally-and/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [As I walked down the street while talking on the phone, sophisticated New Yorkers gaped at the sight of someone actually moving around while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/as-i-walked-down-the-street-while-talking-on-the-phone-sophisticated/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [My favourite example of good technology is the automobile. 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That is the purpose of technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/we-should-be-focused-on-how-to-make-people-s-lives-better-that-is-the/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [Engineers and entrepreneurs are fundamentally dissatisfied with the way the world is and want to make it better. There are so many things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/engineers-and-entrepreneurs-are-fundamentally-dissatisfied-with-the/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [We predicted the concept of a telephone that isn't tied to a wall or a desk. We anticipated that everyone would have a cell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-cooper/we-predicted-the-concept-of-a-telephone-that-isn-t-tied-to-a-wall-or/) [Martin Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-cooper/) > [The only thing that was in my mind when we made that first phone call was, 'Is it going to work?' 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So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. 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