They can search the Internet, they can call or text any device on Earth, they can let you download games and apps at speeds previously unthinkable. The smart phone is likely one of the most innovative technological advancements for the average consumer. But man, have they really turned us into monsters. Here are a few reasons why I think smart phones are leading to the destruction of our society.
First, they distract us. We’re all distracted by our fun little bird launching games and cute apps that show us what we would look like as a baby kitten to allow us to turn our attention to things that really matter. All that time spent with our faces buried into our palms could be spent doing activities that matter, or at least have tangible effects in the real world. Everything from talking to strangers to running a business and everything in between are better than distracting yourself with these devices, but they require that you put the damn phone down.
Social interaction has certainly taken a backseat to masturbating our minds since smart phones have hijacked our brains. Gone are the days of people making conversation with people they’ll never see again. What’s the point, when you could spend that time scrolling through your news feed and seeing what your friends had for lunch? Have you ever tried talking to a stranger in the elevator these days? They look at you like you’re speaking another language, and then sheepishly respond in the way they think you want them to. And to think, before smart phones, this type of open social behavior was normal! The rise of the smart phone and the fall of the social skill has proven to be fun for me, however, because it’s fun to make people feel awkward when they try to deal with simple social interaction. (Side note: Being “awkward” does not make you cool.) We wouldn’t be so shy and awkward as a culture if we exercised our social skills just like we do our mind and body.
On top of them distracting us and deteriorating our social skills, smart phones are also making us stupid. It seems like sound logic that having access to an endless supply of knowledge at our fingertips would make us more intelligent, but it actually has a reverse effect. Brains become more effective by being challenged, as opposed to simply gaining knowledge. Smart phones don’t force us to figure things out. We are allowed to simply type anything into Google and it gives us the answer before we ever have to consider all of the possibilities and weigh in our minds which ones make the most sense, essentially dulling our logical reasoning skills. Folks, I think we’ve found one of the factors leading to the deterioration of America.
Smart phones have their uses that are crucial to our daily lives like checking our email and communicating quickly, and they have increased efficiency significantly. However, it is when the power of these phones are abused that they become harmful. Burying your face in an app may be fun for a while, but it might not be as fun when that habit continually strengthens itself and you look up from your phone to see nobody around you. Practice good human skills, and please, for a few minutes, put the phone down.