I hate cell phones.
Mostly because I'm always breaking them, losing them, or the battery stops working...or whatever. Today I lost my phone on campus and I sort of had a freak out moment. I retraced my steps, went to the front desks of Memorial Union and the computer lab I had been in...no luck. I seriously think I spent at least forty-five minutes trying to track the thing down.
Then I got to thinking, why am I so worried? The last few times my phone has been misplaced/broken I have survived. Do I really need to be in constant communication with everyone I know at every waking moment?
Think about ten years ago. Cells phones definitely existed, but generally only rich people/business people carried them around. I remember my parents had one for emergencies only, and the thing weighed about 12 lbs.
But most people didn't have them...and everyone was OK. People still kept in touch, were up to date on each other lives, were able to get together at night. Now it seems as if people don't have their cell phone with them, they are stranded and cut off from the world. Have we become too dependent on cell phones?
I think so. Cell phones are convienent, especially in an emergency, but they also cause a lot of problems. How many relationships have been busted up because of a cell phone (ex. 'why didn't you answer your phone/call me back/i saw your ex's number on your dialed calls list!') How many embarrassing moments have occurred becasue of the dreaded 'drunk dial' (which I don't think really existed before cells. especially when there were still rotary phones.) Also, sometimes I am able to talk to my friends so much on my cell (you know that at least every other person walking on campus has there cell attached to their ear at all times) that when I actually get together with them in person we already know everything that has happened to each other for the past week.
I'm not saying that cell phones are bad. I'm definitely going to keep looking for mine, and if I can't find one buy another. But maybe our society has become so dependent on cell phones that we just don't give each other enough actual face time.
Mostly because I'm always breaking them, losing them, or the battery stops working...or whatever. Today I lost my phone on campus and I sort of had a freak out moment. I retraced my steps, went to the front desks of Memorial Union and the computer lab I had been in...no luck. I seriously think I spent at least forty-five minutes trying to track the thing down.
Then I got to thinking, why am I so worried? The last few times my phone has been misplaced/broken I have survived. Do I really need to be in constant communication with everyone I know at every waking moment?
Think about ten years ago. Cells phones definitely existed, but generally only rich people/business people carried them around. I remember my parents had one for emergencies only, and the thing weighed about 12 lbs.
But most people didn't have them...and everyone was OK. People still kept in touch, were up to date on each other lives, were able to get together at night. Now it seems as if people don't have their cell phone with them, they are stranded and cut off from the world. Have we become too dependent on cell phones?
I think so. Cell phones are convienent, especially in an emergency, but they also cause a lot of problems. How many relationships have been busted up because of a cell phone (ex. 'why didn't you answer your phone/call me back/i saw your ex's number on your dialed calls list!') How many embarrassing moments have occurred becasue of the dreaded 'drunk dial' (which I don't think really existed before cells. especially when there were still rotary phones.) Also, sometimes I am able to talk to my friends so much on my cell (you know that at least every other person walking on campus has there cell attached to their ear at all times) that when I actually get together with them in person we already know everything that has happened to each other for the past week.
I'm not saying that cell phones are bad. I'm definitely going to keep looking for mine, and if I can't find one buy another. But maybe our society has become so dependent on cell phones that we just don't give each other enough actual face time.
posted by Andrea at 12:57 PM
3 Comments:
I know what you mean! I feel almost guilty for being so freaked out about losing my phone in Minnesota this past weekend. It certainly seems like I was over-reacting, until I stop and remember that every single phone number I had was in that phone, and several pictures I hadn't saved yet.
If nothing else, I was upset on Sunday by the prospect of trying to fly places and get around the country without being able to call a cab or get a hold of someone in case I needed help.
I know I'm too dependent on my phone--I'm on it way, way too much, whether talking to my mom or dad, one of my sisters, my boyfriend, or my friends at work (when we're NOT at work--which is tragic). And I know I could catch up with them over email or in person, even. (gasp) It's not like a cell phone can make or break my relationships, I know.
I think I'm addicted to the instant gratification of being able to talk to someone when I need to, to hear what encouragement I need to hear, or to get the info I need get and to be done right then and there. It's clean and fast communication with an easy on/off switch, and gosh darn it, people like it. So I'm going to keep looking for mine.
This weekend a friend and I found a cell phone in the Lathrop computer lounge. So we started calling all these weird names this girl had in her phone, like "Polish Mike", "Schmo", and "Dr. Phil". Moral of the story: keep track of your phone, otherwise punks like me will use up all your minutes calling your friends at 2am.
Hells Yeah! I'm nearly 20 years old and I still DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE, that's right. There is one guy left who doesn't have one. I admit, sometimes I wished I did, but if I really need to call somebody, there's always a schmillion people by me who would gladly let me use theirs. I love not having to deal with the cell phone drama you talked about, and it's kinda funny when people ask me, "What's your cell phone number?" and I say, "Oh I don't have one." Everybody's like, "what, like you lost it?" "No, I just don't have one." Seriously, people look at me like I just said I don't have a penis or something. They're in shock and like, "What did you say?" But it's really no problem not having one. Hey, I'm still alive. I say, take a chance, America! Go out WITHOUT your phone. Sure, maybe your friend won't be able to call you and scream at you that she's drunk, but you'll survive.
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