I vaguely remember a time where none of my friends had phones. A time when only the wealthiest of people had smartphones. That time is long gone and will never be lived again. In many ways, this is a good thing, but in even more ways it isn’t. About 80% of Americans own smartphones, it is no longer just for the wealthy, in fact, it has become uncommon for someone not to own one.
I’m currently sitting in a cafe writing this article and as I look up, four out of the five people sitting are using their smartphone; too common of a sight in my opinion. As someone waits for her order at the cash register, she is browsing her phone. People feel the need to fill up any public alone time by using their phones. In no way do I want to come across as omniscient, for I do it too; however, I am well aware of it and working on being more present. If no one here had a phone, what would happen? Would people be forced to interact, or would they stare off into the distance? In this post, I want to break down how smartphones affect people’s social and personal lives for the better and for the worse and see just how the world would benefit if they didn’t exist. For those of you who have lived during a time where smartphones didn’t exist, then you already know. I too have lived during this time, but unfortunately, I was too young to currently be able to compare then to now.
Let’s begin with the positives of smartphones. There is no denying how convenient they are. For starters they allow you to quickly communicate with friends, family, and coworkers through text messaging, calls and emails. Social media on phones allows people to stay in contact with friends and family that are living far away as well. Social media can help keep you up to date with their lives and offers an efficient way to stay connected constantly. Smartphones also provide a world of information at your fingertips; if you have a question, you can just google it! Not to mention they have essentially replaced paper maps, allow you to shop online, and have given businesses an amazing platform to market (social media). Yes, a lot of these actions can be performed on a laptop, but with a phone, you can do them anytime, anywhere.
Now for the negatives. As much as smartphones keep people connected, they create a barrier in relationships. Smartphones often draw people’s attention away from conversations and valuable time with friends and family. A buzzing notification will undoubtedly make something at least glance at their phone and immediately divert their attention from people to technology. In addition, smartphones encourage people to avoid awkward social situations, which potentially leads to increased social anxiety when people have to be present without a phone in a new and/or awkward social situation. Next time you are waiting outside a class or inside a class before it has started, take a look around at how many people are using their phones; in my experience, the majority of people will be on their phone. And the next time you’re in an elevator with someone you don’t know, make an effort to resist your phone and start a conversation or at the very least be present. Smartphones also draw people’s attention away from extremely important activities like driving. We all know the horrific outcomes that can result from texting and driving, yet so many of us still do it. Not only do phones affect people’s social life negatively, but they also can affect an individual’s health. For example, late-night use of smartphones negatively impacts the quality of a sleep one gets. The short-wavelength blue light emitted from the screen of a smartphone actually restrains the production of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep and wake up.
With all of that said I want to lay out just how I think the world/society around me would benefit without smartphones:
-People would be more present: Without smartphones, people would be forced to constantly be present in most social situations (unless another technology is being used). They wouldn’t feel so awkward standing next to someone they don’t know and would be able to handle these types of situations; i.e.: making conversation.
-Time spent with friends and family would be more appreciated: There’s no doubt that people love their friends and family and value their time together; however, if smartphones/phones didn’t exist, communication would only be possible face to face. There would be more to share and talk about at each reunion and I believe that the time would be much more special.
-Individuals’ overall health would improve: Sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining good health. Consistently getting good sleep has proven to reduce stress, improve focus and alertness, decrease the risk of cancer, improve memory, maintain a healthy weight, etc. Smartphones are a big contributor to poor sleep quality and without them, many people’s sleep quality would improve tremendously.
-Mental health would improve: Although social media can be accessed on computers, it is most commonly used via smartphones. If smartphones didn’t exist, I believe social media wouldn’t be as big. It is no secret that social media is extremely harmful to children, teens, and young adults growing up in today’s society. It misleadingly shows the perfect lives of peers, because people post the best parts of their lives. Due to photoshopped images, it also makes many girls feel as though they must look a certain, unrealistic way to be accepted. Without this social media, people wouldn’t be as concerned about how they look and eating disorders, depression, and other mental illnesses would likely exist at a lower rate.
-Decreased death rates: In the United States, 25% of car crashes are a result of texting and driving. A portion of these crashes cause serious injuries and another portion are fatal. Without the distraction of smartphones, there would be a decrease in not only the number of car accidents but the number of deaths in the U.S.
-People would be more focused and productive: Smartphones offer up a huge distraction to people as they try to accomplish daily activities and goals. Without the constant distraction of phones, people would likely be more productive. Phones have also decreased many people’s attention span and patience, for the internet is insanely quick at giving people the answers they are looking for. Again, this can be done on a computer, but phones make it even easier. Without this being as easy, people would have no other choice than to get used to putting more time into their schoolwork and daily struggles, in turn, sustaining their attention span.