Posted April 26th, 2016
By Kris Powers
Smart phones have made so many things possible. We can follow news from all over the world, get directions while on the road and easily connect with family and friends spread far and wide. I recall, when traveling cross country, if I required assistance I would need to find a pay phone to place a call. Now, I can pull over to the side of the road, and in the safety and security of my own vehicle, call for help. The evolution of smart phones has made information and learning available to us on our time, at our convenience. But it’s time for moderation.
People today are attached to their phones – dare I even say addicted. In any public restaurant you will see diners checking their phones frequently during the meal, instead of focusing on their dining partners. At the store, instead of reaching out to others in line to share a smile, or to talk about something as mundane as the weather; people are looking down at their phones and checking social media, email, or are making calls that typically would wait until they were back at home or in the office. We are missing opportunities for connection.
Cell phones are taking our attention away from the world around us, from the people across from us, and alarmingly, from other drivers on the road. Every day, I see drivers of all ages traveling down the road looking at their phones. If it can’t wait, pull over to make that call or send that text. Please don’t put my family at risk because of your inability to put your phone down.
The use of cell phones is also encroaching into places where their use should be socially unacceptable (think: public restrooms). In addition, users often forget that others can hear their conversation; I listened to a man in line the other day complaining about his spouse to whomever was on the receiving end of the call. And I wasn’t the only one made to listen to the private happenings of his life; three other people in line and the checkout clerk had to hear about his wife’s apparent shortcomings. Let’s practice some modesty and cell phone etiquette, please.
With all of this smart phone usage, I believe we are dumbing down and sacrificing the art of face-to-face communication. We are losing the ability to express ourselves in the absence of emoticons and emojis. I fear we are losing each other.
One day, we are going to look up from our phones and see that there is no one across from us. We are going to find that we are alone. Let’s not let that happen. Let’s make a conscious effort to put the phones down and communicate. To go back to the days when a board game or a game of cards was played, in person, amongst a group of people – and where conversation and laughter (real laughter, not just “LOL”) flowed and ideas were shared and bounced around. Let’s go back to a time where people greeted one another while having their coffee as opposed to just “checking in” or “dropping a pin” at their local Starbucks.
Texting or emailing can’t take the place of people and real-life experiences. Snapchat and Tumblr can help you capture and share photos of what’s going on, but if you put the phone done, you just might find that you are enjoying yourself a little more, because instead of just being in the picture, you are in the moment.
