Though we aren’t born with a cell phone, it has become a part of everyday life for almost all people. Kids these days won’t even know what it was like to have a phone tied to the wall in the kitchen, having to share with family, or not being able to take a phone with you when you go out. Like the record and the telegraph, things have improved significantly, but is that really a good thing? Or a bad thing?

The positives

There are a ton of great things about cell phones that I, personally, love. They make it so I always know where the people important to me are. If I want to see if someone is okay, it is no longer about waiting hours for them to come home. I can just call right away. This is very convenient and takes a lot of stress away. If someone were in trouble, all they would have to do is dial 911. IT is a much safer world with cell phones. I don’t need a camera because I have it with me all the time in my phone. I can get directions when on the road without having to pull over. I can always find the answer to my questions since the internet is always in my hands. Instead of having to have a fifteen minute phone conversation for one piece of information, I can just text it. Having a cell phone is convenient, easy, and fun.

The negatives

The Telegraph goes into detail about the negative parts of having a cell phone. Mostly, the concerns were related to losing personal time. People do not ever shut down their cell phones, which means they are losing out on valuable time with the people they love and themselves. It is like music – if we constantly have noise in our ears, how are we ever going to think? Having a cell phone definitely means missed moments that are special, distracting noises during private time, and noise constantly in our head. It means we have to take our work home, because we can, and it means our conversations change. The article points out that the people we actually talk to decreases significantly, and even those we spend time texting aren’t necessarily our “friends.” Personal time and personal relationships are lost.

Is it worth it?

For individuals, there is a trade-off. Getting this vital organ means losing so much, but apparently we are okay with that. If we weren’t, nobody would have cell phones. For businesses, it is even better. It means you have a way to advertise to your customers where you know they will constantly be looking. Businesses who aren’t already set up with texting programs need to get started sooner rather than later because it may be the best way to contact your customer. What better way to advertise than with something attached to your customers at all times?

Source: Telegraph