People vs Cell Phones: Cell Phones are Winning
Technology is almost everywhere in the world. People have become so used to the advancements of technology that it has become an integral part of their lives. Many people have even coined the era in which these advancements have been made as the “Age of Technology.” With technology quickly advancing, many researchers have wondered if the “Age of Technology” spells disaster for future generations. Though technology has some positive effects, advanced communication technologies such as cellphones have had negative impacts on the millennial and succeeding generations.
Millennials are defined as people born during the 1980s, meaning that they bore witness to the rapid changes like the cellphone, the …show more content…
Teens now-a-days are so dependent on their phones that cellphones have become a major distraction in their daily lives. Mary Eastham, a community representative on the Board of ACROSS Te Kotahitanga O Te Wairua, discusses in her essay, “Healing the Wounded Adolescent”, how cellphones have affected the way adolescents communicate with their parents. She argues that “The cellphone seemed more like an appendage to their bodies than a tool of a communication. It is with them at all times—day and night, disturbing their concentration on important tasks during the day, and their sleep at night.” To put into simpler words, teens have become so attached to their phones that they cannot function without having their cellphones. Not only teens, but the millennial generation is becoming attached too. Furthermore, Pew Research Center reported that 13 percent of young Americans have used their phones to avoid interacting with the people around them. Pew Center’s research confirms that increased usage of the cell phone has caused many Americans to become less social. A teenage girl who Turkle interviews also had the same case in which she uses her phone to communicate rather than talking to someone face to face. In the interview it is explained that, “[Audrey] she’s one of Elaine’s shy friends who prefers talking to texting. She is never without her phone, sometimes using it …show more content…
As the usage of cell phones increased, so has the use of cellphones behind the wheel of a vehicle. Because of the distractions caused by phones, many people have died in accidents because of inattentive drivers using their phones. Matt Richtel, a journalist for the New York Times, agrees with the point that using cell phones while driving is dangerous and he backs up his point with data. Ritchel provides reports explaining that, “The federal government estimated in 2007 that 11 percent of drivers were talking on their phones at any given time. . . . Researchers at Harvard have estimated that, even seven years ago, drivers using cellphones were causing 2,600 fatal crashes a year in the United States and 570,000 accidents that resulted in a range of injuries, from minor to serious.” In making this comment, Richtel is emphasizing the many disasters associated with phones and how many people have been injured because of cell phones. Moreover, Dennis Crouch—three researchers from the University of Utah—also conducted research comparing the dangers of driving while using cell phones and drinking while driving. They conclude that “The data presented in this article are consistent with this estimate and indicate that when driving conditions and time on task are controlled for, the impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be just as profound as those associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at
Technology is almost everywhere in the world. People have become so used to the advancements of technology that it has become an integral part of their lives. Many people have even coined the era in which these advancements have been made as the “Age of Technology.” With technology quickly advancing, many researchers have wondered if the “Age of Technology” spells disaster for future generations. Though technology has some positive effects, advanced communication technologies such as cellphones have had negative impacts on the millennial and succeeding generations.
Millennials are defined as people born during the 1980s, meaning that they bore witness to the rapid changes like the cellphone, the …show more content…
Teens now-a-days are so dependent on their phones that cellphones have become a major distraction in their daily lives. Mary Eastham, a community representative on the Board of ACROSS Te Kotahitanga O Te Wairua, discusses in her essay, “Healing the Wounded Adolescent”, how cellphones have affected the way adolescents communicate with their parents. She argues that “The cellphone seemed more like an appendage to their bodies than a tool of a communication. It is with them at all times—day and night, disturbing their concentration on important tasks during the day, and their sleep at night.” To put into simpler words, teens have become so attached to their phones that they cannot function without having their cellphones. Not only teens, but the millennial generation is becoming attached too. Furthermore, Pew Research Center reported that 13 percent of young Americans have used their phones to avoid interacting with the people around them. Pew Center’s research confirms that increased usage of the cell phone has caused many Americans to become less social. A teenage girl who Turkle interviews also had the same case in which she uses her phone to communicate rather than talking to someone face to face. In the interview it is explained that, “[Audrey] she’s one of Elaine’s shy friends who prefers talking to texting. She is never without her phone, sometimes using it …show more content…
As the usage of cell phones increased, so has the use of cellphones behind the wheel of a vehicle. Because of the distractions caused by phones, many people have died in accidents because of inattentive drivers using their phones. Matt Richtel, a journalist for the New York Times, agrees with the point that using cell phones while driving is dangerous and he backs up his point with data. Ritchel provides reports explaining that, “The federal government estimated in 2007 that 11 percent of drivers were talking on their phones at any given time. . . . Researchers at Harvard have estimated that, even seven years ago, drivers using cellphones were causing 2,600 fatal crashes a year in the United States and 570,000 accidents that resulted in a range of injuries, from minor to serious.” In making this comment, Richtel is emphasizing the many disasters associated with phones and how many people have been injured because of cell phones. Moreover, Dennis Crouch—three researchers from the University of Utah—also conducted research comparing the dangers of driving while using cell phones and drinking while driving. They conclude that “The data presented in this article are consistent with this estimate and indicate that when driving conditions and time on task are controlled for, the impairments associated with using a cell phone while driving can be just as profound as those associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at