Smart Phones Suck .

I'm going to sound like an old fart in this post, but I don't care. I hate smart phones. I've always had a "dumb phone" for my entire life, because I have seen first hand how these things affect our lives. Call me cliché but it's true when you say that these things are literally attached to people's arms; with nothing short of amputation necessary for removal. I feel like if I had one, all I would do is check emails, play games, send texts and do whatever else you do with a smart phone. In some ways, yes, it's very helpful: ordering food from your phone, checking your bank account, even depositing your checks or using the mobile scans to check in for flights. But people are consumed by them and often seem to be so much more concerned with their digital world than cultivating the personal relationships around them. It's hurtful to the receiver, rude to everyone around you, and often distracts you from many of the beauties of reality.

Think about the subway. Check out all the people sitting around on their phones, avoiding eye contact with anyone and everyone. The phone is an escape from personal interaction. And while I am sometimes guilty of this, I'd like to think that I'm much better than most. In fact, my phone has a tendency to lag a lot or turn out without reason and that actually makes me use it less (funny as that is).

Unfortunately, the smart phone world is taking over, and due to its popularity, pretty soon it will be the only phone that you can have (as it is, there aren't many phones left that aren't smart phones). Those who lack self control are consumed and can't go anywhere without it. We are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without fail. You can search for people, send pictures videos, and god forbid you're hacked, you are beyond fucked, because your whole life is on there. I remember back when we had one cell phone for the family, and that only if you were going out somewhere by yourself would you take it so that the family could call you if need be. How many of you actually have house phones in your apartment or home? I'd bet that pretty much everyone who has moved into their home or apartment in the past five years or so didn't bother getting one.

At what point does the smart phone (or hell, at this point, handheld computer) become simply imported into your body when you're born? Yeah, that's extreme, but I am just wondering what the future holds given the huge impact they have on a person's life. You can even often see groups of friends that go out together and even though they're supposedly spending time with each other, they're all on their phones. It's a sad sight, for sure. If I ever end up forced to get a smart phone, I swear I'll keep it on silent most of the time so I am not constantly sucked into that digital world, and have to relish in the things and people that are right in front of me.

Have you allowed superglue to bond you and your phone? I challenge you to take a day each week and completely ignore everything on your phone for the entire day, and not check it until tomorrow. I bet 90% of you can't do it. Let hear your experiences.