In “Our Cell Phones, Ourselves”, Christine Rosen illustrates how the mobile telephone strengthens us to connect personally but disconnect socially, defacing the true meaning to ‘public space.’ She claims everyone at some point in their live will find themselves involuntarily engaging in a widespread act: overhearing someone else’s cell phone conversation. As technology continues to grow and more and more people become owners of cell phones, having a landline has become less essential than ever.
Rosen says with technology becoming a normal part of life, it has generated a change in our behavior and our adaptation to it has not been without fall out. Many people throughout their day encounter public interactions that include certain implied behavioral rules. What many people now have to experience when being present in a public location is the rudeness of a stranger conversating about anything and everything from horrible dates, work stress, recent purchases, etc. Being confined in public environments has always brought in the factor of human nature to be courteous towards others. Clearly the technology has disturbed many people’s capability to carry out common social rules. Without gaining the public’s approval, cell phone users force their conversations on the others around them. Rosen feels those types of rules need to be implied on the use of cell phones in public places.
The most frequently cited reasons people give for owning cell phones are convenience and safety. In a recent study of cell phone owners, over 90% of them stated ‘feeling safer’ was the main reason for owning one. When the terrorist attacks took place on September 11, 2001 – many passengers used their cell phones to call their loved ones for the last time. Safety became a big factor after 9/11, as many people who never acknowledged owning a cellular device purchased one. Another factor that comes into play with the reason of safety is that many parents purchase their children cell phones so they can call them whenever they want/need to. What parents don’t realize with this monitoring technique is that they are disabling the bond of trust with their children. Cell phones provide comfort and/or security to the users restricted in the social space. Every call on the cell phone - whether it be in a store, on a train, or at work, in hidden manner sends out the message to the others around “look how important I am, how full my life is.”
Convenience and Safety being the main advantages presented, cell phone users also attain negative effects. With safety comes the risk of danger when having a cell phone whiling driving. “A 2001 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that “54 percent of drivers usually have some type of wireless phone in their vehicle with them” and that this translated into approximately 600,000 drivers ‘actively using cell phones at any one time’ on the road.” They are both legitimate reasons for using wifeless technology but they have a downside related to them. Fast food relates to convenience which also relates to our nation’s complication with obesity. Safety relates to the wide range of generating anti-bacterial products and medication - which has now led to disease-resistant bacteria.
As the trust bond is expanding between individuals, trust between strangers in public settings is deteriorating. Cell phone users are enhancing and reinforcing communication with others they already know during the time and at the cost of those they do not. The result of this leads to the non-existence of each other’s presence in a community. Although providing us with new ways of communicating with others, cell phones restore talk, not conversation. Talk is in regards to an exchange of information, where conversation implies a type of talk that is more sociable to communication. Rosen explains that clearly the consistent accessibility and common exchange of information is valuable, but shouldn’t support disconnection of those amidst in society.
Opinion
Cell phones. As much as people hate them, they are definitely a necessity in today's world. Being an on-the-go college student, I am constantly shuffling classes, study dates and time with friends. As a result, I need to be in contact with the people who make up my day just in case our preplanned schedule doesn’t fall through. The main problem is people don't seem to follow any sort of decency laws when it comes to the use of their phones.
Annoying ring tones should be illegal. Why can’t everyone in their right mind have a regular ‘ring-ring’ tone? Yeah its interesting to hear other people’s choice of a ring tone, but when its not one in your favor it can easily become annoying to the point where putting a plastic explosive over the phone and put an end to the misery is your best bet. Off-the-wall ring tones are neither "cool" nor "edgy" but instead, just a form of noise pollution.
When using a Bluetooth phone users should be required to wear a special item of clothing that distinguishes them from regular people. I cant count how many times I have seen someone looking insane as they appear to be talking to themselves, only to find out they are having a conversation through a piece of metal planted in their ear. I'm sure the schizophrenics out there appreciate them because now they aren't the only ones walking down the street talking to seemingly nobody. To put an end to this awkward situation, Bluetooth users should have to wear one of those dunce caps that were used for punished students in school.
Anyone in a public where silence is necessary should turn his or her phone off. When someone is letting their cell phone go off, whether in a room/class/theater/world, how don’t you know that you are the most annoying person at that moment? I feel like personally walking up to them and ask “Why is your phone ringing during my (ten dollar a ticket) movie“? They even have it in the previews now at all movie theaters to advise everyone to be courteous and silence there cell phones. Still you have the inconsiderate users who don’t think anyone will call them during that time, or maybe it is they just can’t seem to disconnect for that short period of time. Either way, people don’t want to hear a phone ringing- and your first clue to that is when everyone is turned around and glaring at you. Every cell phone has a silence/vibrate mode - find it, use it.
Driving while chatting/texting on one's cell phone should be illegal. I’m 100% positive everyone finds this annoying, especially if you have been cut off in traffic or almost killed by an idiot driver on the phone. Its amazing when following behind someone in traffic who has clearly almost killed others while not paying attention to the road, but glued to there Blackberry, Iphone, etc. What possibly makes them think they can operate a two ton vehicle while doing it? Most people don’t understand they can't drive and talk/text at the same time. Clearly it effects a person's ability to drive, and increases the risk of anyone else on the road, hence why the use of cell phone by drivers should be banned. Ultimately it comes down to the decision of the individual.
