We live in a digital age. Everything seems to be electronic, potable, compact, connectible, state-of-the-art... we won't accept anything that isn't. We are able to contact who we want, when we want to, and when we can't, we aren't really sure how to handle it. "She has her phone off... what am I supposed to do now???"
As hard as it may be for my generation to remember, there was a time when you had to wait for people to return phone calls. When you had to wait for someone to get home before they could call you back. Now, if someone isn't home, you just try their cell phone. People can always be reached because we "can't stand" to be without our phones. But, what happened to being able to escape it all? Does that even exist anymore? Could we survive without that constant connection? Maybe the better question would be, do we even want that escape anymore?
What happened to being able to escape it all? When people used to go on vacation, you couldn't get a hold of them unless you were VERY, VERY important, and even then they had to be in their hotel rooms to get a hold of them, which they rarely were (people actually took vacations and relaxed, compared to people today that sit on the balcony of their apartment in Jamaica on their laptop doing work... but that is a whole different topic that I won't get into right now...). When did all of this change? Sure, there were some work-a-holics before that did work on vacation, but I remember laughing at people like that. Now, it is nothing new or exciting to see someone on the beach with a cell phone and a laptop having a conference call with company back in New York. When did this happen? When did we decide that we can't even run to the store without our cell phones? "What if someone tries to call me?" There is an answer to that question. The problem is that no one seems to like the answer anymore. They would have to wait.
So, why do we NEED our cell phones constantly? Let's face it, it's not really about having other people be able to reach us, it's not really about business. I am not part of a business, but I will still turn around and drive back home if I forget my phone. It's not that I am worried there will be an emergency and that no one will be able to get a hold of me. It's not that I am planning on making calls in my free time while I am out. I don't claim to be any different than anyone else, I just see the problem here. As humans, we have a desire to connect, to communicate and we have these devices that allow us to always talk to people and it has turned into a drug for us. I don't believe that it is the technology itself that we are addicted to. It is something much more primal than that. Connection with other humans.
It is purely human nature to want to connect, but I do worry that the technology has taken it a step too far. I don't know that we could go back to the way things used to be with out having some serious mental issues. Separation anxiety, depression... I am not exaggerating in the slightest. I think humans would feel very lost and lonely if we lost this technology and it would have serious repercussions not only on a personal level, but a societal level as well. I'm not saying that our society would crumble if we suddenly lost our cell phones, but we would have some major adjusting to do, and it would be very hard on us.
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I think that you've raised a really good point. I'm the first to admit that when I leave my phone at home or if the battery dies, I feel that seperation anxiety. I think alot of it also has to do with the fact that cell phones are much more than just phones now. I use my phone as a camera, a calendar, a notepad, a calculator, and probably a million other things not worth listing. I've never really thought about what we as a society would do without constant connection though, and honestly, it's scary.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that we have become addicted to our cell phones. I find myself constantly checking to see if my phone is in my pocket or purse because I am so worried I am going to lose it and feel so lost without it. When I forget to bring my phone, I feel weird not being able to check the time or text or call someone right then and there, even though I don't have anything important to say to them. I also agree with Jenna I use my phone for everything- alarm, calendar, calculator, camera, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely have the need to connect with other humans. It used to be when you were by yourself somewhere, you would make small talk with people around you, now we will call or text someone on our cell phones, someday we won't even know what small talk is. Scary stuff!
I think that this is the age we live in and technology will keep progressing. I can see where it has become our lives but, I am not sure I believe that there could possiblly be a regression back to where it was when our parents or grandparents were little. I do wonder what it will be like for our children or for even our grandchildren. Maybe not an addiction but just a glimps of the future. I often wonder if we will not only be teaching our childeren to write in English but also to write as we text message.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that I think that we will actually regress to a time without technology, but it is amazing to me to think about it.
ReplyDeleteI'll start with a disclaimer -- my cell phone is the only phone I have and I would be lost without it. That said, manners seem to have flown out the window when the cell phone flew in. When I was visiting a friend over Thanksgiving, she, her husband and I were sitting at the table drinking wine and catching up on the last year. Then it started -- their college-aged daughter began texting them both at the same time, and they were actually texting back! I thought their original text would be something along the lines of "Can't talk now. We have company." But NOOOOOOOO -- I sat there observing and waiting. Finally, I sent her a text myself to let her know I was with her parents -- the subtle hint didn't work.
ReplyDeleteJenna- I agree that our cell phones are a lot more than phones. I actually didn't consider that when writing this post. I guess the question is what did people do before their cell phones had all of those gizmos and gadgets on them? They survived, so why can't we?? Unfortunately, I have no answer for this, seeing as I am lost without my phone as well.
ReplyDeleteLisa- It is scary to think about the thought that we may forget how to interact with others, but it is a possibility. And yes, it is VERY scary!
ReplyDeleteAnn- I can't tell you how many meals I have gone to where people text the whole time. It makes me wonder whether they even want to be there. Granted there are times when you need to respond to a text when you are with someone, but the least you can do is appoligize. Apparently technology excuses people from having manners.
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