Smartphone Invasion

I have been debating for quite a while now whether or not to blog about this concern I have regarding the increasing prominence of smartphones. My concerns are somewhat theoretical, but some extend from personal experiences. In an effort to not be too offensive to most of my friends (since nearly all of my friends and co-workers have smartphones), I decided I may not write such a post. However, now that I have become a smartphone user, I feel that I have more of a innate right to critique the problem. Since the Tennessean had an article about iPhone addiction today, I decided to go ahead with my rant.

Check out the Tennessean article here. I have never been much of a cell phone user. I think it is genetic. My father denied using a company phone because he wanted to be unaccessible sometimes. Until about 2 years ago, my mom hardly ever had her cell phone turned on. I just choose to not answer my phone. I guess you could say when I started texting more a few years ago, I got a little more attached to my phone, but I usually just kept it in my purse and used it when I needed it. Well, I decided to join the 21st century, and upgrade to a smartphone with a data plan a few weeks ago. Actually, it was not my decision, but one pretty much forced upon me by AT&T. Not to worry, I have made my feelings known about this to AT&T already. It basically played out like this: I need/want a new phone; the options for an updated phone are ALL smartphones; to purchase one of those phones at the reduced price (think $300 vs. $99), I need to upgrade my plan; the only way to upgrade my plan according to AT&T is to add a data plan. I really enjoyed a new phone my mom had just purchased, but for only $15 more a month, I could have the iPhone, which has many more benefits, according to the AT&T rep. I actually do believe this because I know people who have iPhones and love them. However, I was still not trilled about being forced into a smartphone, i.e. making myself WAY too accessible.

So far, I am content with my decision. I don't think the iPhone is as great as everyone makes it out to be. But, I must say it is very user friendly and convenient to have around. Maybe alot of the reason I didn't want a smartphone is because of the effects it seems to have on certain people. Disclaimer: the following is not regarding one person in particular, it is based on my observations of friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and the general public. I really hate it when I am at lunch, dinner, the bar, someone's house, etc. and the very person that invited me or agreed to some activity is on their phone the entire time (or even half the time). Why do I need to be present for he/she to play, text, social network, google, or whatever on their smartphone? I could spend my time doing something else more productive if I am to be ignored. Even if I don't have anything important to say, it is just not polite to treat company in that manner. I have been put in that awkward position for years, and it drives me nuts most of the time. Some of you reading this have most likely received my wrath regarding the subject. If you have, that just means you are a good friend, and I feel like I can release on you. Trust me--there are some people I know that I am not comfortable telling them how discourteous they are being so I just sit there secretly cringing.

Now that I have an iPhone, I do see how one can become addicted. There are just so many options. However, I still really enjoy the real world, not just the virtual one. I prefer to put the virtual world aside and focus on those around me most of the time. I am making a concerted effort to use my phone for the necessities when in the presence of others and to use my phone for all the extra goodies it has to offer in my private time. It is hard at times. I understand how people become so attached. However, I don't feel the need to get on my phone in public nearly as much when everyone around me puts down their phones, too. It is really not fun to be the one person at a table of four that is not facebooking, texting, etc. I am going to try my best to not put others in that position now that there is the possibility that I could become a smartphone addict.

The evolution that has occured amongst my generation and older generations really makes you wonder about how future generations will communicate. If generations that grew up without any type of mobile communication device have become so accustomed to the smartphone invasion, how will those who are growing up in the midst of it all handle real world communication? Since we are obviously living in a techno-centric world, there is no turning back, and I suppose only time will tell how the children of today will communicate in the future. I am just going to hope for the best and hope that, even in this age of technology and convenience, kids still develop the social skills needed to keep face-to-face interaction a necessity, privilege, and mainstay.