"A Milliennial and a Smartphone Are Now In A Relationship" -2 Hrs. Ago
We all have them, whether it's an iPhone or an Android, we all love them the same. They allow us to take high-quality photos, keep reminders/alerts, use them as alarms, surf the web, and stay connected with the ones we love all with one device, right at our fingertips. Their capabilities these days almost seem endless. However, most technological advancements are just as useful as they are detrimental parts of our daily lives, especially when it comes to relationships.
A smartphone's main purpose is to enhance communication. But, this feature can both make and break relationships, for the better and also, for the worse. For example, with one click of a button your former classmate from high school who you can "no longer stand" is out of your life. They are unable to see any new posts of where you've been, who you're dating or married to, or how your life will unfold next. Or your friend texts you to make plans to get together but you are just too busy and preoccupied to respond and as a result, she may think that you're intentionally ignoring her and she no longer asks to hang out. On the flip side, smartphones and social media can keep you connected to friends who you haven't seen in years. They can also bring people back together to reconnect in some way or another.
Just for one minute though, imagine a world without smart phones. Also, imagine yourself and your personal life without one.
I want to talk about the feeling that we get when we don't have our phones two feet away from us. Whether your phone died, you dropped it in the pool, left it at a friends' house, or when you simply don't have service, this rush of emotions flows from your feet to your stomach within seconds. Suddenly, you're stressed, worried, or anxious and this big knot forms in your stomach. I'm guilty of this. It is no doubt a type addiction. A smartphone addiction. The term for it is called: Nomophobia. Although not all millennials suffer from these symptoms, many do and the fear of what is to come for new up and coming generations is frightening. Will their symptoms be worse? Will everyone have a melt- down when they misplace their smartphones? Will they lose all face-to-face social skills?
I know that there are many people who are not as invested in social media and what is going on in "phone world" as others. Some would argue that they feel "liberated" when they don't have to deal with their phone. However, most people that I know feel lost, angry, worried, and scared. Suddenly, when you are left to face the world in front of you all alone, you know that you . Nothing to entertain your boredom, help you to hide from a classmate who you don't feel like saying hi to. No one to talk to besides those who are physically around you, nothing to look at or judge except for the physical space that you're currently occupying.
What if there were no smartphones? What could we learn in just 48 hours without it? How would our relationships either suffer or improve? Would "FOMO" (fear of missing out) be an existing phenomena? Would we have a constant fear that we are missing out on things? Would our stress levels decrease? Would our verbal communication skills improve? More importantly, would we live a more authentic life?
The answer to all of these questions can probably only be answered if the cell phone inventor, Martin Cooper weren't around. And later, if Steve Jobs and his team of inventors did not spend long days constructing this:
(theverge.com)
"The average person spends 90 mins a day on their phone. That is 23 days a year and 3.9 years of the average person's life is spent staring at their phone screen" (mobilestatistics.com)
There are so many things that smartphones enable us to do that we don't often think about how they are limiting us. Think about going to dinner with a bunch of your girl-friends where everyone is staring at their phones and scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. It is sort of strange to think about what would be discussed if you all weren't gossiping about someone's latest post or tweet. I think more females are guilty of this than males are. Guys tend to use their phones a lot less than girls because they are not as concerned about what who is dating who, who is wearing what and why, and who is where doing what with who. They tend to use them more as a form of entertainment, to talk to their other guys friends about making plans to hang out, or to text their girlfriends, who definitely get mad at them for not responding right away.
What is one of the main reasons why we cannot let go of our phones? For one, keeping in touch with our loved ones, friends, family, and significant others is important to many people. Keeping in touch with them when you are not physically together is important to keep the relationship strong and exciting. Secondly, social media. Without our cell phones we would not know any information about what is going on in other people's lives, which would just be awful, wouldn't it? Well, maybe it would be better that way. Social media tends to promote many more issues than one would think. However, the bottom line is that it keeps us connected and that is most comforting.
Imagine the world without smartphones.
How would your life be different? Could we all live more authentic lives?
Maybe, I guess we can only see for ourselves.
