It Is All Just a Click Away

In just the last 30 years, clicking has come to be a very different thing than what it used to be. The most popular use of the word came from The Wizard of OZ when Dorothy was told to “click her heels together three times and say ‘There’s no place like home.’” She clicked her ruby slippers together and in that iconic movement was transported with Toto from the Land of Oz back to Kansas.

The Natural World

Animals and insects might have clicked. Two people who just met and were in synch with each other “just clicked,” usually in a romantic way. There are different reasons for clicking the tongue, and when someone hung up the phone, the person on the other end would have heard the phone clicking as the receiver was put down.

Remote Controls

When remote controls first came out, they were called “clickers” because of the sound that they made when the button was pressed. Often these early remotes only had two buttons – one for turning the TV on and one for changing the channel. As long as the antenna was faced in the right direction the person did not have to leave the comfort of his or her recliner. Older people will still call the remote control a “clicker” even when it does not make that sound anymore.

Modern Era Clicking

Nowadays, clicking means so much more. Based on the sound that most models of the computer mouse still make, though some now only have a feeling of resistance, clicking is the way that people navigate the web. Links, buttons, the checkout on a purchasing website, even several games on social media involve just a press of the button.

When you are looking at a website, it is important to know what you are clicking on. The wrong click could mean spending thousands of dollars or descending down a rabbit hole. It could also mean finding a nirvana that resembles the land somewhere over the rainbow, but when you have to get to work on time or have family to visit, even that land can be a curse. Just remember, there is no place like home.