Portrait of the Cell Phone as a Barrier to Development
...stuck on the freeway due to a shortage of gas. A close friend also uses her cell phone to respond promptly if her mother, who is terminally ill, needs to reach a hospital. In both cases, these individuals see the cell phone as a possible form of communication during emergencies, giving them a sense of comfort and security. Unfortunately, some people's dependency on their cell phone is so extreme that they are blinded from being independent. This seems to be the problem with another close friend. One evening, upon noticing that the gas tank was nearly empty I asked if he wished to stop to fill up at a nearby station. Surprisingly, he said that if we were to get stuck, he would simply call for assistance. This clearly illustrates the inaccurate belief that we can and will be saved with the aid of a cell phone. People who share the same views as this would likely not even think twice before entering a car with a complete stranger, due to the belief that help and assistance is a simple phone call away. Cell phones have also led to an unhealthy dependency on others in normal day to day situations. While recently shopping in a clothing store, for example, I took notice of a woman in in her late-twenties who was browsing through a set of pants. She eventually decided to take five of them through with her to the dressing room. After leaving the dressing room, she had decided on a single pair. However, while waiting in line to pay for the item, she took out her cell phone and began to describe it in great detail to the person on the other end. After nearly three minutes of conversation revolving solely around the pants, she shockingly removed herself from the line and placed them back on the original rack. It was disheartening to see that she would not buy the dress based on the word of her friend rather than using her own personal judgement and reasoning. This clearly proves that the use of the cell phone indirectly causes us to rely on our friends, loved ones, and even business associates in nearly all day to day situations. It denies us the ability to think for ourselves and trust in out own opinions. From what I have observed, cell phones also provide people with the means to express feelings of self-confidence and frustration to those around them. While standing in line at a movie theater, for example, I noticed the gentleman in front of me was speaking very loudly on his phone. He was describing a new job that he had just received. He outlined the fact that he would be promoted to head marketing director within a matter...