Cell Phones

[MusicalCoffee]

I remember when I got my first cell phone. I was a sophomorein high school and my brother and I had finally convinced my parents that wedesperately needed them for any number of emergencies that might occur (andnever did). It was a little Nokia thing with a small screen that I thought wasso great. I was able to call and text my friends as well as take the occasionalpicture. That's it. Even back then, I wasn't constantly on it, nor were thosearound me.

Oh how things have changed. The phones have gotten largerand more advanced, as is our culture. Bigger and better, please. We don't justwant a phone anymore, but internet access and countless apps, all easilyaccessible 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 fora day, we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. We would literally be lostand in such a bad mood it would make scrooge look like a ball of sunshine. Ithas gotten a bit ridiculous, in my opinion, but I have never had a huge issuewith cell phones....until recently.

I cannot believe how dominant cell phones have become in ourlives. I'm noticing more and more that those around me can't seem to doanything without them. I've gone out with friends and had to watch themconstantly 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 justrude and makes the other person feel like they're boring you. After all, if youasked to go grab a cup of coffee and chat with someone, I would think youshould 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, Inoticed people on their phones. Not paying attention to the professor, notdoing any work, but texting. Granted, it's none of my business what they chooseto do with their time and whether or not they pay attention, but I can't helpit.

I realize it annoys me. I mean it really annoys me, to thepoint where I want to grab their phones and tell them they can't get them backuntil the end of class. You know, like the teachers used to do. It doesn'tmatter 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 ofmy pet peeves. I've had friends ask why I don't text them or why I go for dayswithout my phone. It's simply because I don't need to. If I don't havesomething 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 manytimes 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, whenI'm eating it, and where I got it from, nor do I need to know those thingsabout someone else. It's just unnecessary. I don't need to be in constantcontact with everyone I know every day. It doesn't mean I don't like you, itdoesn't mean I'm not interested in your life, it doesn't mean I don't careabout you. My phone just isn't glued to my hand.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the one with the problem. I'm theweirdo. It's not that I don't like technology and its advancements, I do. Ijust don't need to use them all day every day. Sure, once in a while I'll feellike texting or calling a friend, but not often. I don't need to update by thesecond. If nothing is going on, no emergencies are occurring, and I havenothing of value to say, I'm not engaging in conversation. Just because we havethe ability to be in contact with someone instantly and virtually 24/7 doesn'tmean 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 phoneusage 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 Iguess pet peeves are like that.