# We're all just numbers now! (Identity thing) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 29, 2024, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426 "2024-10-29T22:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/1 "2024-10-29T22:13:05Z")
So…at the clinic we’re not names anymore. Some stupid big wig decided it might invade our privacy to call our name out. So we “sign our name on a very public sheet”, to show we’re there, then we take a number like at the deli or the DMV. A screen displays your number with a ding dong sound and you stand up and go back. At the door the attendant/nurse says “Hi, Ms. Wrek, how are you today?” Loudly. Who are they trying to protect me from? They’re not accomplishing a dang thing. We all know each other by name. We see each other 3 times a week, every week. For the rest…of…our lives! There’s only one way out of this foolishness. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/2 "2024-10-29T22:16:27Z")
Start worrying when they have giant balloons chasing you. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/3 "2024-10-29T22:18:13Z")
When they call you to the doorway, sing a little Bob Seger for them. “I’m not a number I’m not a number Dammit I’m a Beck I said I’m a Beck” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XA1LJ3blITU/maxresdefault.jpg "Feel Like A Number") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA1LJ3blITU) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/4 "2024-10-29T22:18:17Z")
I get that reference. 🙂 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/5 "2024-10-29T22:21:19Z")
I did hum a little “Rikki don’t lose that number” ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/6 "2024-10-30T00:33:09Z")
At the new Royal Victoria Hospital, the patients are called on a board that displays their first name and two characters of their last names. So for me, the display would say HARI SE\*\*\*. I really don’t see the point. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/7 "2024-10-30T00:38:39Z")
Cuz maybe there is more than one “Hari Se…” in your country? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/8 "2024-10-30T00:40:36Z")
It would be a riot if they called out “New number 2!” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/9 "2024-10-30T01:15:31Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Cuz maybe there is more than one “Hari Se…” in your country? Have you tried calling a council to see if you can reconcile them? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/10 "2024-10-30T03:35:20Z")
No that would be heresy. Stick to your ticket, Hari. Stick to your ticket. @Hari_Seldon …our thing/screen was first name followed by a number that said our cubicle number. Which is always the same cubicle unless there’s a problem with the previous inmate. No one likes to change. It’s bad juju. Example: The person ahead of me on Fridays died recently in the cubicle. I was changed for the next two times. I was immediately ill. Stayed in the hospital. I would be sure it’s all just superstition but I ended up having to have a port surgery. I’m sure the machines all work the same. But, there you go. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-all-just-numbers-now-identity-thing/1009426/11 "2024-10-31T15:38:41Z")
I’d guess that someone made noise about it somewhere- they didn’t really like that their distinctive name (probably something like Aloysius Q. Stinkroach) was called out in public in whatever sort of clinic you’re in. So TPTB decided to just go to numbers so Mr. Stinkroach doesn’t feel embarrassed.