Cell Phones

I remember when I got my first cell phone. I was a sophomore in high school and my brother and I had finally convinced my parents that we desperately needed them for any number of emergencies that might occur (and never did). It was a little Nokia thing with a small screen that I thought was so great. I was able to call and text my friends as well as take the occasional picture. That’s it. Even back then, I wasn’t constantly on it, nor were those around me.

Oh how things have changed. The phones have gotten larger and more advanced, as is our culture. Bigger and better, please. We don’t just want a phone anymore, but internet access and countless apps, all easily accessible by way of a touchscreen. Bluetooth capability to make it hands free, even better. We have become so obsessed with them, that if they disappeared for a day, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. We would literally be lost and in such a bad mood it would make scrooge look like a ball of sunshine. It has gotten a bit ridiculous, in my opinion, but I have never had a huge issue with cell phones….until recently.

I cannot believe how dominant cell phones have become in our lives. I’m noticing more and more that those around me can’t seem to do anything without them. I’ve gone out with friends and had to watch them constantly check their phone, replying to texts, facebook comments, tweets, etc, and was shocked. When I’m with someone, I’m not on my phone. It’s just rude and makes the other person feel like they’re boring you. After all, if you asked to go grab a cup of coffee and chat with someone, I would think you should be talking to them, not texting everyone and their mother. Of course, this is just my opinion.The past few days, as I’ve been in my classes, I noticed people on their phones. Not paying attention to the professor, not doing any work, but texting.Granted, it’s none of my business what they choose to do with their time and whether or not they pay attention, but I can’t help it.

I realize it annoys me. I mean it really annoys me, to the point where I want to grab their phones and tell them they can’t get them back until the end of class. You know, like the teachers used to do. It doesn’t matter what’s going on around them, they need to be on their phone. Checking it,updating their status and whatever else they can think of. I guess it’s one of my pet peeves.

I’ve had friends ask why I don’t text them or why I go for days without my phone. It’s simply because I don’t need to. If I don’t have something of significance to say, I’m not going to text or call someone. Sure, it’s nice to text someone every day, but I can’t do it. There’s only so many times I can ask someone what’s up and how they’re doing and get the answer, “Nothing much, I’m good”. I don’t need someone knowing what I’m eating, when I’m eating it, and where I got it from, nor do I need to know those things about someone else. It’s just unnecessary. I don’t need to be in constant contact with everyone I know every day. It doesn’t mean I don’t like you, it doesn’t mean I’m not interested in your life, it doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. My phone just isn’t glued to my hand.

Sometimes I feel like I’m the one with the problem. I’m the weirdo. It’s not that I don’t like technology and its advancements, I do. I just don’t need to use them all day every day. Sure, once in a while I’ll feel like texting or calling a friend, but not often. I don’t need to update by the second. If nothing is going on, no emergencies are occurring, and I have nothing of value to say, I’m not engaging in conversation. Just because we have the ability to be in contact with someone instantly and virtually 24/7 doesn’t mean we need to. It doesn’t make me a bad person, it doesn’t make me coldhearted or distant, and it doesn’t make me antisocial.

I just think cell phone usage and dependency has gotten out of control. Maybe it’s been that way for awhile, but it’s only just started to bother me. I know it shouldn’t, but I guess pet peeves are like that.