Cell phones are running rampant. If you don't have a cell phone, “there is something really wrong with you”! Even children in Elementary School have cell phones! It wasn't too long ago, that I was young and married, had children of my own and my husband and I owned a small business as well - yet we didn't have cell phones! How did we get along? The same as everyone else; we communicated by phone when we were at a place that had a phone. Everyone understood that there would be times in-between when people weren't available because they were in transit or wouldn't be by a phone.
Now, owning a cell phone is a “matter of convenience”. There are never any in-between times when you can't reach out and touch someone….or are there? Ever had a phone call that you didn't answer for various reasons? Has your battery ever been dead, or have you ever been out of your range? Yes, there are still times when the almighty cell phone doesn't cure all ailments - yet, everyone “needs” to have one.
What is it about cell phones - are they really a necessity or are they just cool? Today's cell phones have cameras, games, Bluetooth and texting capabilities, they can hold favorite music, and can even play videos! They range in all sizes from super tiny ones that will fit in your ear, to small, medium, and large sizes.
If we don't have the latest, greatest technology in cell phones, we must upgrade to the most advanced phone we can get. It's become an obsession with our youth and even with some adults. Our cell phone has to be better than everyone else's cell phone. Even if we don't use all of the capabilities of our new phone….at least it's better than everyone else's!
We are fanatical about having our phones with us every second of every day. We walk around with our phones to our ears constantly; or our headphones to our ears. We're either talking to someone, or listening to our music or the latest news.
We're walking through crowds of people, or by people we know, so caught up in what we're talking about or listening to on the phone, that we have no clue of who we're walking by or maybe we have no desire to associate with these people anyway. Is this our way of avoiding interaction with others? Is this our way of avoiding running into strangers and actually having conversations with them? Or are we avoiding a face to face meeting with the person we're talking to on the phone? Are our phones making us anti-social?
Our children take their phones everywhere and continually play with downloading ring tones and other “cool” things. Unfortunately, undesirable advertising comes to them across their phones now, too. They have complete access to the internet through their phones and if their parents are not limiting or blocking internet access, then their phones and heads are filled with detrimental information that's being provided to them from our information highway.
Texting is really big now days, especially with our youth. It's similar to email and online communications in that it takes the “personal” out of communicating. Not only that; but spelling, good grammar and correct sentence structures are being replaced by abbreviations, slang and symbols. Our English language and communicating abilities are being threatened by lack of correct usage.
Another point that needs to be slipped in right here: it seems we can't drive without cell phones either. The topic of talking on the phone while driving has become a major debate; and rightly so due to the number of traffic accidents that are caused daily by having a conversation on the phone while driving.
Maybe it's time to re-think our cell phones and the amount of time spent with them. Quality time spent with family and friends might be highly enjoyable. Striking up spontaneous conversation with a stranger (in the right place, of course :) might make someone's day. Getting to know our neighbors and bringing unity back to our neighborhoods might negate residential crime; not only that, but neighborhood camaraderie might also form unbreakable bonds and lasting relationships.
Maybe it's time to put the phone down and step away.
