I'd say we have an addiction problem.
I am resistant to change. Youth demands it.
Just like rock-n-roll was from the devil.
And too much TV was going to rot your brain.
Smart phones are going to turn us into zombies...
Sounds crazy, but there's always some truth to the fear of change. The "what ifs," the unknown, the dangerous possibilities. Similar to the rise and fall of cigarettes and prohibition--and now e-cigarettes and marijuana. We humans want what we want and eventually accept the change, for better or worse.
So how can we keep our values, our brains, and our souls intact when warning bells are instinctively making us resist such ominous changes?
Smart Tech has pros and cons. It's the humans using and abusing it that make it addictive. We have to be self-aware and use self-control. Common sense, logic, and good choices need to be instilled and applied, no matter what the new mania is. Addictive behavior is bad, duh. But do you see yourself falling into it, just by using your phone?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
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Are You Addicted to Your Phone??
(borrowed & revised)
- Why do you have a cell phone?
- How do you feel if your phone is not in the same room with you?
- Do you sneak your phone in when you're not supposed to have it at school/work?
- Do you treat your phone like a person?
- Do you use your phone to check the time?
- Could you choose between using your phone and a relationship?
- Where is your phone while you sleep? Do you check it in the middle of the night?
- Do you take your phone into the bathroom with you?
- Do you feel anxiety over losing your phone?
- Would you answer your phone in the middle of an important meeting? Or while on a date?
- Do you call or text someone in the same house as you?
- Do you lose track of time using your phone?
- Do you have your phone when you are eating?
- Do you have to check your phone as soon as it makes a noise?
- Have you cried when you dropped your phone?
I'm ready to unplug more often (I'm already pretty good at losing my phone and not caring where it is) and I'm also prepared to nag my offspring to lessen their phones' hold over them... I just wonder what the next generation will tempt us with!
So, Are You A Phone Addict?
What should we do about it?
Or do you think it's that big of a problem?
Or do you think it's that big of a problem?
PS - This week, I'm at L. Diane Wolf's blog for my Taking Back Beast World campaign, phase 2. And I'm talking about "NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN" -- how good writers create new ways to tell stories!
Thanks for your opinions! Have a great week--and unplug a little more each day!
13 comments:
I answered no to most of those. I'd only feel anxiety over losing it because it cost so darn much in the first place.
I don't own a smartphone, just a flip phone that needs duct tape to work, so I don't have to worry about becoming a zombie. :P
And hooray for a new guest post! ^_^
I don't use my phone for social media or emails, so I'm not in danger of being a phone zombie.
We just bought a new landline phone. I hate cell phones!
Great job on your Beast World!
Hi Tara - I'm not a phone addict either ... it sits in the flat most of the time. I'll take it to London tomorrow ... but really I'd rather do without it. I saw your Beast World post - all the best - Hilary
I'll admit it, I'm addicted. It's such a great invention!! I love it. I have books, games, and friends at my finger tips with my phone. I love it so much, I had my landline removed. And yes, I sleep with my phone, but I turn off alerts and only my preferred contacts (my kids and siblings) can reach me after hours.
Since change is always the constant, I can't resist it. If I do, I'm very unhappy, and I don't feel good when I'm unhappy.
Why do you have a cell phone?
Because I don't have a landline, and because I like the safety of having a phone with me when I'm out and about.
How do you feel if your phone is not in the same room with you?
Sometimes good, if I need a break from technology, but mostly not, because I often can't get to it before the call goes to voicemail. (I hate playing phone tag.)
Do you sneak your phone in when you're not supposed to have it at school/work?
Sometimes. My brain craves stimulation. I hate being bored.
Do you treat your phone like a person?
Nope.
Do you use your phone to check the time?
Yep. In fact, one of the reasons I bought this model was that I could see the time without unlocking it. I should probably add that I get rashes if I wear a watch, and I can't wear one at my job, anyway (infection control... no jewelry from the elbows down).
Could you choose between using your phone and a relationship?
Maybe. It would depend on the terms and the reason. I need a phone. I could definitely put it down to pay attention to the person.
Where is your phone while you sleep? Do you check it in the middle of the night?
On my nightstand with the do-not-disturb feature turned on. I check sometimes, like if I get up to use the restroom, but that's because calls and texts don't ring through at night. I have discovered urgent messages at times.
Do you take your phone into the bathroom with you?
Yes, but usually because I hate missing a call and playing phone tag. (Sometimes it takes the place of reading material, if you get my drift. It's actually improved things in that regard.) I have a little table to set it on in there, and I clean my phone often.
Do you feel anxiety over losing your phone?
Yes, but mostly because of all the aps, such as banking aps. It's like carrying around a mini computer with a ton of personal information. And because I don't have a landline as a backup.
Would you answer your phone in the middle of an important meeting? Or while on a date?
It would depend who was calling and if I thought it was an emergency. Usually not.
Do you call or text someone in the same house as you?
Yes. All the time. We live in a 2-story, and the kids can't hear me with their doors closed. I'm not walking upstairs every time I have a question for one of them.
Do you lose track of time using your phone?
Sometimes.
Do you have your phone when you are eating?
Depends on where I'm eating. At the table, usually not. On the couch, yes.
Do you have to check your phone as soon as it makes a noise?
Depends on the type of notification (Facebook is a different noise than a text) and whether I'm waiting for an important message.
Have you cried when you dropped your phone?
No. I have a protective cover that has never failed to do it's job. I do wince, though. I don't like dropping it.
That was probably wayyyy more than you wanted to know. LOL
Only guilty of no. 8 (possibly no. 9) I actually feel better about my relationship with my phone/social media for reading this.
Off topic. Hey Tara, I'm going to be offline for a couple of weeks but when I get back you and Cradle Rock are more than welcome to guest post or just get the new release info out.
Interesting test. I answered no to a lot of those questions, but I do feel anxious if I lose my phone. With two teenage sons, it's often the only way to keep in contact with them and to know where they are. So losing my phone does give me anxiety.
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