Privacy for me has been incredibly rewarding, but when talking to people who haven’t been introduced to privacy, there are occasionally some moments that make it exhausting. One conversation in particular is one that I’ve had to go through dozens of times, and it always goes along these lines:

• Alice: Why is your phone in airplane mode? / What’s your phone number?
• Bob: I don’t have a carrier.
• Alice: But you have a phone.
• Bob: Yes.
• Alice: How do you not have a carrier?
• Bob: Phones can come without a carrier.
• Alice: What do you use it for?
• Bob: Everything you use yours for.
• Alice: How do you talk to people?
• Bob: Messaging apps over Wi-Fi.
• Alice: What if you don’t have Wi-Fi?
• Bob: Public Wi-Fi is everywhere. If I don’t have Wi-Fi, I likely don’t need to get in touch.
• Alice: What about emergencies?
• Bob: I can still contact emergency services.

Each time it happens, it has a unique flavor. One person accused me of lying and then fraud. I know people are just curious and don’t mean to be rude, but it makes me die a little inside every time someone asks. I’ve begun trying to sidestep the conversation entirely:

• Alice: Why is your phone in airplane mode?
• Bob: To save battery.

or:

• Alice: What’s your phone number?
• Bob: You can contact me with an app called Signal.

People seem to think that a phone automatically comes with a carrier and that it’ll stop working if you don’t have one. In reality, I’m saving hundreds of dollars per year while avoiding spam, fraud, breaches, surveillance, and being chronically online. People have a hard time coping with those who do things a little differently.