Sunday, December 29, 2013

Americans' Fixation with Cellular Devices

A New Technological Age

      It’s amazing how a little black box of finite resources defines the average American persona. If you have a cell phone, you instantly feel connected to the rest of the world, and if your phone were to run out of battery or be stolen, you would feel lost and worthless. That is my perception of how Americans, from 7 years old to 87, feel about their cellular devices. I was dining out at Outback yesterday, and I looked up suddenly to see this startling, not altogether positive 21st century image.

      Family members (of diverse background as well) were all tapping away at their little lighted screens or listening to music on those outdated headphones that seem to be making a comeback. No talking, no lively discussion, just isolation in their own little world with a device capable of learning all the worlds’ information in an instant. This saddening image got me wondering—how many Americans have phones and what are they used for? According to Pew Research Center, 91% of American adults in the U.S. use cell phones. So it’s not the stereotypical teenager chewing gum loudly with gauges, a crusty lip piercing, and sickeningly preppy clothes from Hollister—it’s the adult taking care of them. 
        
       For adults, I believe phones make them feel connected with others (to feel young), and are simply practical (they can shop, check their bank accounts, etc). Pew Research also said that, “Many [adults] constantly check their phones; keep them by their bedside; think their phones make life better because they connect with pals more often; think their phones make life easier to plan; and think their phones make them more productive.” Even more wondrous is that 61% of those American with phones have Smart Phones (i.e. Androids, iPhones, etc). 61%!!! I don’t even have a smart phone and I am 16 years old, supposedly in the prime of my teenage years.

My phone!
After delving deeper into this social conundrum, I found that Americans use twice as much data and five times more talking time that their adult counterparts in Europe (ctia.org). Maybe it’s in U.S. DNA to blabber on more, have life at a faster pace, and get everything done NOW, this INSTANT. By contrast, the European lifestyle is more relaxed, laidback, and more focused on actually enjoying life than hurriedly speeding it along.  
A painting of the Italian countryside (relaxed and laid-back!)
Although I think the United States is going to have a massive communication crisis in the near future (people don’t know how to talk to one another), China and India still have more cell-phone users than us (larger population). I asked my sister, a 22 year old law student who is attached to her iPhone, what she does on her phone and how she feels when she sees others mindlessly on their devices all the time. Mostly, she is on Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, Pinterest, or just texting others when she is in public (all social media). However, she is perplexed when people seem to block out the real world and become engrossed in the Retina Display show. To conclude, the one story that sticks out to me the most and speaks volumes on the new American identity was when I was in New York City. I was on the subway, riding happily to the Metropolitan Museum, when I looked up and all I saw around me was people bundled up in coats and jackets looking down at their phone screens. 
The subway car was eerily quiet, as everyone had in their irksome white earbuds and were playing candy crush or checkers. I could not believe my eyes. New York City, a place famous for its hordes of people, was the loneliest city I have ever been to in my whole life. 
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