How I Feel About Cell Phones

Cell phones have changed the world. At the tip of your finger is access to the world of knowledge. You can use it as a camera or GPS. It has many valuable features. However, the obsession with cell phones is harmful, like any addiction. There are children who completely freak out if you take their cell phone away. There are young adults who get completely lost without their cell phone. This is not how it should be.

First of all, I think texting is a big problem. Young people not doing their jobs because they're too busy texting. People driving and getting into accidents because they're texting. People getting into arguments because a text was misunderstood. Students not paying attention to their teachers because they're too busy with their cell phones. What is the point of texting when we can simply call the person and have a normal conversation? That's what phones were invented for. The purpose of a telephone was to communicate with your voice with someone who was far away. Yet people obsess over their cell phones so badly, that they ignore the conversation with someone right in front of them. That's ridiculous in the worst way.

I heard that recently a law was put in place similar to the seatbelt law in regards to texting and driving. I am glad for this law. It won't stop everyone, but at least it will make people stop and think about it. I hope they give lots of tickets for it and make lots of money. I think texting and driving is just as bad as drinking and driving.

I'm not saying we should give up our cell phones. I think it's too late for that. We don't have payphones anymore and sometimes you need to get in contact with someone. But we don't even remember telephone numbers anymore. We just assume the cell phone will store it. I can still remember the phone number of the home I grew up in. When I call someone a lot, their number stays in my memory. This is good because should I lose my cell phone or if my cell phone breaks, I can still reach the people who I need and love the most.

I guess I'm an old-timer. We write things down in old-fashioned things called address books. We learn about backing up systems that could fail. We don't just trust blindly in any fad that pops up. All tools have a purpose, but when it becomes an addiction and starts destroying what is truly meaningful and worthwhile, it becomes a problem.

I have some solutions. Starting with cell phones in school. Cell phones should be turned off during all classes unless the teacher decides to have cell phones being used for a lesson. At home, if your spouse or your child is ignoring you because of a cell phone, that cell phone should be taken away for awhile. How does a wife take away her husband's cell phone? I'd simply ask "What's more important, me or your cell phone?" If the husband responds "the cell phone" then you know where you stand and you can move on. With a child, most likely you're paying for the cell phone and have the right to take it away. As for the problems of texting, the law about texting and driving is a good start.

I don't think I'll ever be completely comfortable with cell phones but I know I need a telephone for various reasons so I'm stuck with using it.