Walk into any coffee shop in the United States, and groups of adolescents doing work together and sipping various caffeinated drinks will come into view within seconds. Their lively debate though, whether that be over environmental strategies or which dress they should wear to a party the next day, is often interrupted by the lit-up screens of their smartphones sitting within inches of their hands- always in view. Without even explaining why one of the friends will break off conversation to answer a text letting the other friend sit there and awkwardly check their own phone for text messages or play games to take up the time. Within seconds, the conversation is resumed neither friend even acknowledging the exchange that, even five years ago, would have been considered unfathomably rude.
But when did this switch take place?
When did it become socially acceptable to be with a group of close friends, committing time to them, and also be periodically ignoring them in favor of texting others who may or may not be more important? The answer most likely lies in the permeation of cell phones in modern society, and the Western world’s complete dependence on them. Cell phones, particularly the popular iPhone, are modern marvels that can give directions, help plan parties, allow money to be transferred quickly, provide games to help get through a boring meeting, or simply light up a dark pathway at night. More importantly, cell phones can accomplish all of this within seconds, allowing the user to have a constant stream of information from the outside world at their fingertips at any moment.
However, the main side effect from having all these capabilities is that cell phones have become a crutch to users, an addiction that can’t be curbed, and, as a result, something that is seen as one of the most important possessions a person owns. The surge of sheer terror that goes through the average American when they can’t find their phone, even for a minute, is a feeling that most have experienced, due to the fact that for many, their lives are on their phones. Photos are taken and stored there, contacts are logged, and even passwords and personal notes are written in the notes section. Moreover, cell phones are checked constantly, almost compulsively, throughout the day, a habit that leads to, in some cases, addiction. Indeed, in an article published by CNBC, a recent survey of the United States that uses statistics on app usage and hours spent texting found that there were 176 million users who could be classified as cell phone addicts, defined as those who launch apps more than 60 times per day. In a world that adds a new technological device on what seems like a daily basis, this statistic will likely only get worse.
Still, it’s not a surprise that cell phone usage has gone up sharply, since socially, cell phones are seen as a way to look cool. For example, among the millennial generation, if a person is waiting for a friend to show up, or have a few minutes to kill and they are on their own, pulling out their cell phone and making sure they look occupied to any strangers passing by has become a social norm. This practice, though, ensures that users become slightly more isolated from those around them every time they look at their phone, since the whole point is avoid any type of social contact with the outside world. Since this is a habit developed by virtually everyone, whether they be sitting on the bus, taking the metro to work, walking to class, or waiting in line at grocery store, cell phones are directly contributing to a more isolated world.
So what can be done to curb this problem?
The simplest answer is to look up. Instead of walking to class and checking Facebook, put the phone away, and acknowledge the beautiful campus, or at least the people walking by. Instead of playing 2048 on the bus, talk to the person sitting directly to the left. Instead of staying in one sphere, that controlled by cell phone use, branch out, and truly meet the world. Life is short, and there is already so much to see and do. Don’t let it be dictated by attachment to technology.