Cell phones have evolved at a rapid pace and become an essential tool in our lives, but their convenience has caused us to miss out on the essence of relationships and valuable experiences. While we take for granted the changes that our dependence on cell phones has brought about, we need to think about the important things we are losing.
The rapid penetration of cell phones into our lives
Have you ever stopped to think about how closely cell phones have entered your life and how quickly they’ve become ubiquitous? Do you remember the days when there was a distinction between analog and digital phones? The first time we had a cell phone in the house, my dad paid $2,000 for a digital phone, which was a lot of money back then, and it was one of those luxuries that could cost most people a month’s salary. It’s hard to comprehend now, but just 20 years ago, cell phones were a staple of our lives, and now they’re so close to us that they feel like an extension of our bodies. The days when a phone was considered the best phone if it made good calls seem so far away. Cell phones have changed faster and more consistently than any other device in the last 20 years, and they’re now a necessity of life that can do almost anything we can imagine. Cell phones are a constant part of our lives.
However, the convenience of cell phones has made them so powerful that we seem to have taken them for granted. As a result, we’re losing things we used to value, and we’re slowly changing who we are.
First, the change in social connections through cell phones
We rely on our cell phones for many of our social connections. Cell phones have become a very important medium that connects us to society. But the moment that connection is broken, we are left alone, with all those connections gone in an instant. If you’ve ever lost or broken your phone, or had all your phone numbers deleted, you know how helpless this can be. I once went without my phone for about a week. It broke down and I had to take it to an after-sales service center, and being without it for a week made me acutely aware of how many people I was connected to through my phone, and how easily that connection could be destroyed by something as simple as the absence of a phone.
In a time before cell phones, people would have had their own ways of staying connected, and those ways would not have been as instantaneously disruptive as they are now. Cell phones are certainly convenient and useful tools, but it’s unfortunate that so many relationships are tied to them.
Second, cell phones have created an obligation to stay connected
We now have a semi-enforced obligation to always be connected by having our phones with us at all times. Most people, young and old, own at least one cell phone per person. So whenever and wherever someone wants to contact us, we feel pressured to respond immediately. It’s a fallen customer situation. We’re not connected when we need to be, we’re always connected because we can be.
Some companies even issue smartphones to their employees en masse. There’s no denying that smartphones are very convenient tools. However, it can be a frustrating situation for employees because it means they have to be connected whenever the other person wants them to be, even when they’re on their way home from work or when they want to take a break.
Third, cell phones make us impatient and overly relaxed
Because we’re always connected via our cell phones, it’s become common for us to reach out to others at the slightest delay to rush them. For example, if you’re five minutes late for an appointment, you’re likely to call your cell phone to ask for their location and let them know you’re about to arrive. Conversely, cell phones lull us into a false sense of security that being late for an appointment won’t be a problem. “I called ahead to let them know I’m going to be late, so it’s okay,” you think, stealing valuable time from the other person. Would you have been so casual about not showing up if you didn’t have a cell phone?
Finally, cell phones rob us of experiences
Cell phones are incredibly convenient, but there are things you miss out on because of their convenience. On a recent trip to Japan, I debated whether or not to get a cell phone data roaming service, but I decided against it because I didn’t mind going without my phone for a couple of days. On my way back to my hostel after the first day of sightseeing, I got lost and couldn’t find it in the rain and dark. It would have been easy to turn on Google Maps on my phone, but since I wasn’t roaming, I couldn’t. I ended up asking a passerby for help, who kindly called the hotel and gave me directions. I was able to get back to my hotel safely, and the experience has stayed with me for a long time.
This wouldn’t have happened if I had a cell phone. I wouldn’t have gotten lost because I could easily turn on my GPS and know where I was and where I needed to go. But is that really a good thing? Isn’t the true meaning of traveling more about the experiences you have along the way than reaching your destination? The convenience of our phones allows us to get things done quickly, but I think we’re missing out on some important experiences along the way.
Conclusion
As I write this, I’m confused. I wonder if I’m being double-minded when I say that I take the convenience of my cell phone for granted, but I also feel sad about what I’m losing because of it. Cell phones have certainly enriched our lives, but there are many things we pay for that convenience. In the digital age, we sometimes miss the inconveniences of analog.
