Smartphones And The Social Phone

In the article "Our Cell Phones, Ourselves," by Christine Rosen, she explains the dependency on cell phone use while highlighting unforeseen consequences that may occur with cellular device use. From allowing parents to track down their children, to having a casual conversation with a friend, cell phones offer people an unparalleled level of convenience. Furthermore, cell phone owners feel much safer knowing that in an emergency, help is just a phone call away. This convenience, however, does not come without any negative effects. Many cell phone owners become too engrossed in their phones and therefore ignore the physical world, an idea that Rosen refers to as "absent presence.” Also, people may use their phones as a way to prove they are

“...between 2005 and 2012, 35% of the couples marrying in the US had met online” (González). The internet is used in many ways such as, communicating, posting status updates, and discovering new information. People most commonly argue the internet to be the source of loneliness and depression, whereas others say that it generates more relationships and friends. Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and laptops are utilized in everyday life, whether it be for work, school, personal matters, and in many other ways. It helps promote interactivity and involvement in a community, where you are not alone. It also permits transparent discussions, between friends, family, and others, that are beneficial in everyday life worldwide. Technology does not make us more alone as it gives people the opportunity to meet new people, supplements communications, and aids those who are already lonely.

Though there is positive effects to having a smartphone, and many people in the world are fond of the device, smartphones have moreover increased the isolation of friends and family due to the daily consistency. According to

Dependency on Smartphones Albert Einstein once said, "I fear the day when technology will surpass our human interaction. We will have a generation of idiots. " Today’s generation has become so dependent on our smartphones for information. As smartphones have become a great and easy tool for things such as surfing the internet, communication, and navigation.

Imagine that you are cruising town on your way to pick up some Taco Bell with one of your best friends. “So what are your plans for this weekend?” You ask. Buzz… Buzz… Buzz… and your friend reaches into his pocket to retrieve his phone to read a tweet and responds, “Oh, Yes, that is so cool!” And they begin to type as fast and furious as his thumbs will enable to respond. Has this ever happened to you? There are two sides to the topic of whether or not cell phones are making us stupid. Authors Andrew Keen and David Weinberger argue the the yes and no sides to answer that debate in the article, “Are smartphones Making Us Stupid?” from upfront magazine. Both authors make a compelling argument for the thier sides of the story, but it really can’t be directly argued either way because it isn’t a black

Mustapha Mond, the World Controller believed that, “family, monogamy, romance. Everywhere exclusiveness a narrow channeling of impulse and energy”(40). In World State we’re not supposed to have any emotional attachment to another person and it’s strictly prohibited. But in Our Society, we’re taught that we’re a social creature where we can’t live without each other. We need each other to live our life. We are living in groups with others and relying on each other. But, as today’s technology advances more and more people relied on their smartphone or social media as a passive instrument to deepen relationship with others. We could observe when we’re on dinner we always on our phone and when we have family meeting we always our phone by our side. The straight talk face-to-face replaced by messaging on our phone and as times goes by the number of friends that we usually have social interaction with became decreasing.

In accordance with the article, “Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid?”, I believe that smartphones are not making us stupid. First of all, smartphones help us to acquire more knowledge and information. The article states, “The fact that we can ask a question and get an answer, wherever we are, means that our discussions can get past disputes over facts so that we can talk about the real issues; what we make of the facts.” Often times in an argument, people fight over basic facts instead of the real issues. With a smartphone, you are one Google search away from those facts, and then you can form an opinion and argue like a champion. That’s pretty smart if you ask me. In addition, the author states, “Because these devices are always with us, we

Before this generation we would immerse ourselves in relationships. Now, could you say that all your Facebook friends are your actual friends? Sometimes all we need is a hug from someone that we have a genuine relationship with. People wouldn’t be able to get that if they constantly use their phones to become “social” they will never amount to their true potential in relationships. Bryce Skylar a writer for People’s World says, “The problem, it appears, is that social media has infiltrated every aspect of daily life”. When you put down your phone, you will create an endless opportunity to gain organic relationships.

Social networking has become an unquestionable part of our everyday lives. Little by little, internet and mobile technology seems to be subtly destroying the meaningfulness of interactions with others, disconnecting us from the world around us, and leading to an imminent sense of isolation in today’s society. Instead of spending time in person with friends, people just call, text or instant message them. It may seem simpler, but people ultimately end up seeing friends face to face a lot less. Ten texts can’t even begin to equal an hour spent chatting with a friend over lunch. A smiley-face emoticon is cute, but it could never replace the ear-splitting grin and smiling eyes of a friend. People need to see each other. While technology has allowed us some means of social connection that would have never been possible before, and has allowed us to maintain long-distance friendships that would have otherwise probably fallen by the wayside, the fact remains that it is causing ourselves to spread ourselves too thin, as well as slowly ruining the quality of social interaction that everyone need as human beings.

Technology has made communicating difficult and has slowly ruined people’s friendships and relationships. Henry David Thoreau says, “Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very intervals, not having had time to acquire any new values to each other.” Interpersonal communication with people is fading away with time, but simultaneously, technology has given people connection with those far from them. Although it does have its advantages, technology has ruined the connection and intimacy people once experienced in a pre-digital age.

But this has ceased to exist after the introduction of Smartphone 's and the internet. People prefer to chat in the many social media offered on the internet and accessed by their Smartphone 's, play games, listen to music and even blog than strike a conversation with a person sited next (Tuckle, 2011, 23). As much as people are communicating more, a threat of communication becoming more of quantity than quality is emerging. As much as the use of Smartphone 's and internet has expanded people socially and geographically, it drives people from authentic relations. Too much use of Smartphone 's and web results in declining people social circle. It is a fact that the more time people spend on their Smartphone 's and the internet the less time they has with their families, friends and other people in the society.

If I were to ask each of you if you were able to go an entire day without your mobile device, very few can say they`d be able to do so. In fact, in a recent TIME Magazine Mobility Poll, 84% out of 5000 people surveyed in 8 different countires, admitted that they couldn’t go a single day without their phones and a third of respondents admitted that being without their mobile device for even short periods of time leaves them feeling anxious. It is clear that whenever we`re waiting for those last five minutes before the bell rings to every class, our automatic impulse is to reach for our phone. Do you really need to check anything that important? The sad truth is that we have become far too dependent on our phones. The fear that we might miss the latest gossip, or the most recent updates on all of our social webesites seems more like an addiction than anything else. We`ve clouded our vision as to what is really important, and that is-quality human interaction.

As much as I regret to admit it, I’m attached to my phone. I’m constantly reaching into my pocket to check the time, make sure I haven’t gotten a new update, or to send a message. I do this even when I’m not talking to anyone! It’s become an addiction, having to make sure I’m not missing anything, and I'm not the only one who has this problem. Seventy-five percent of the world population has a cell phone, and that number will only increase. With the creation of new technology portions of life have become easier. Technology has changed the way we go through life. It’s made talking to people easier, as well as keeping up with the lives of others. However, the effects have affected the aspects of our lives that don’t include technology.

With the power of social media and the internet, we can connect globally in a way that was not possible before. Unfortunately, I do have to admit that it does take away a more personable interaction. Most people will connect with Facebook versus taking the time to see the person. For example, in the reading, “I’m Still Here: Back Online after a Year without the Internet” by Paul Miller, he said “It is the boredom and lack of stimulation that drives me to do things I really care about, like writing and spending time with others” (4). When we get bored, we want to do things we have never done before. The downside is, that there is people that rather kill that time on their devices. Rather than, cleaning their room or explore the world for those valuable 20 minutes they will text their life away. If everyone, was to go a month without the internet, the world would probably end. Everyone is so addicted to this new era of devices.

Steve Jobs once said, “Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. It's very fortunate if you can work on just one of these in your career.” On January 9th, 2007 Apple changed this society by introducing the iPhone, virtually putting the world in the palm of society’s hands. IPhones provide individuals with the latest technology, allowing one to do anything from chatting with friends to measuring ones heart rate. This innovation is excellent and makes society’s lives a lot easier by the simplicity and instant gratification. Although helpful to everyone, iPhones have become addictive. This current generation has become attached and less self-reliant, now relying on the technology of a phone. IPhones