Long Live the Cell Phone User- Final Draft
LeAnne Earnest
Professor Daniel Frank
English 10
11 March 2013
Long Live the Cell Phone User
In today’s society, cell phones are a major part of everyday life. According to Christine Rosen, the author of Our Cell Phones, Our Selves “The reason we answer them whenever they ring is a question better left to sociology and psychology” (466). Many people seem to not give a thought about answering their phones wherever they are. Everyone does it now a day I’m sure you’re even guilty of walking down the street talking on a phone. But when cell phones are now becoming an attachment to us, it turns into an epidemic that’s starting to spread all across the globe. No longer are they an item we have once only used for safety reasons, but they are now becoming pleasure items. Cell phones are literally becoming the own person’s self. And this is becoming not only an annoyance and distraction to others, but a danger as well.
Rosen provides many solid arguments in her article; the main one being (as the title says) cell phones are starting to take over people’s lives. She gives many examples from others with their opinions on topics, such as how others view people on their cell phones, a view of the dangers, and how everyone is always within reach. An example Rosen provides are that violent fights have started because of the annoyance of others talking on their phones in public. Within her essay she covers all the basics of how cell phones started and of how they evolved. The importance of Rosen’s essay is to display how negative cell phone use is becoming and to encourage others to start using them less.
Cell phone use started around 1983 and has continued to grow with new items, such as smart phones, being created today. The reason for this growth according to Gerard Goggin author of Cell Phone Culture is because of the user. Users want to be able to do what they are capable of on a computer on their mobile phones. And what the users want they get, cell phones can now surf the web and even talk to you. Cell phones, as they have developed, have become much smaller even though their capability has gotten much larger. Goggin says, “In contemporary study and theory of the cell phone and mobile media, we encounter time and time again the fetish of the user. Technology needs to be received, completed, supplemented, and found wanting, by the user” (Goggin 208). In his book he documents how cell phones started. Rosen only hinted at this. Goggin blames the user for all the technological advances and why we have become so addicted to them.
Rosen would agree with Goggin as she says, “Phones are becoming your Swiss army knife” (460). If you have a question you can simply hop on the Internet and get it answered right then and there. You don’t have to go to the library and do research anymore, and with such simplicity comes desire. Because of having this major desire for cell phones, it means people are being on their phones all the time. Rosen brings up the issue of technology addiction that is supported in Mary Madden and Lee Rainie’s article Adults and Cell Phone Distractions. They have produced a study that gives many statistics on people driving and texting and even people simply walking and texting. One study showed that 82% of American adults who own cell phones; fully 17% say they have bumped into another person or an object because they were distracted by talking or texting on their mobile phones (Rainie).
With the number of people using cell phones either in cars or just while walking being so high, it can cause a lot of danger. Rosen also goes into detail about the information she found with the dangers of driving and texting. Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving has become one of the most dangerous activities a person can do. Your attention is diverted away from the road just to look at a simple message from somebody. And driving is not the time you want to do that. Many other drivers could be doing the same and if nobody is looking at the road then how can you expect people to drive safely. In David Strayers, Frank Drews, and William Johnstons essay Cell Phone- Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving they provide five experiments showing how using cell phones while driving affects your attention on the road. Some of their experiments included breaking time and acceleration reaction while having a cell phone distraction. While Rosen says “In 2001, 54% of drivers have a wireless phone in the vehicle which is around 600,000 drivers using a phone while driving” (462). In comparing Rosen’s and Strayers research it shows that over half of the drivers on the road will be distracted both attention-wise and in their response time.
With the inability of drivers being able to put their cell phones down, it has caused many deaths from traffic accidents. In another article published by the CDC labeled Distracted Driving more then 1,000 people died in crashes and around 24,000 people were injured in 2009 because of cell phone use while driving. This just shows how people cannot take the time to drive safely by putting their phones down, which is a sign of addiction. One of Rosen’s messages is to get people to see how cell phones are affecting lives and to make us use them a little less. With cell phones taking lives, many states have banned the use of cell phones while driving. But just like people get away with drinking and driving, many people also get away with texting and driving.
We have tried to stop people from using them, especially while driving, by making certain laws. In order to use a cell phone in a car, you must have a hands free device such as an earpiece. These have become fairly popular but only a small portion of the population actually uses them. Most people feel as if they don’t need them because they simply won’t get caught. But little do all those people realize the danger they put themselves and other drivers in. Rosen has an idea on how to prevent cell phone use. She suggests that we treat it the way we now treat tobacco (471). This means we would ban cell phones from certain areas. But with a large amount of the population using cell phones it can be hard to compare it to that of tobacco use. In the past many people used tobacco, but once it was discovered that it had bad health effects, people stopped. Unless they find negative health affects with cell phones it is likely that nothing will change.
Another of Rosen’s big issues with cell phones is that people will just openly have conversations with others in public. And some of the things that people will say are shocking. It can easily hurt or offend others that may be listening in. It has been linked in many studies such as Corinne David-Ferdon and Marci Feldman Hertz essay titled Electronic Media and Youth Violence that many young people are becoming aggressive towards others while using electronic devices. This relates to when Rosen mentions how she has seen many encounters that have escalated into very rude conversations and sometimes violence (464). There is an etiquette that people need to learn when using their cell phones that can avoid these types of situations. This etiquette may vary from person to person but it consists of only saying what may be acceptable at the time. If there is others around you need to keep major issues in private, but it seems some just can’t keep their mouths shut.
Many young teens have been given cell phones from their parents, who see it as necessary for safety reasons. But according to the Electronic Media and Youth Violence (Peer Reviewed Essay) many teens report that they feel better about themselves on-line and with cell phones than they do in real life. This is because they can create fake personas and either act or say stuff they wouldn’t when approached in real life. With the ease of having such technology at their fingertips, kids are now acting aggressive, just as adults do when they get into battles with others about private issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have written many articles about this type of aggression that include Electronic Aggression and Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC issue brief for researchers. Both articles support Rosen’s point that cell phones have turned our world into a place that has a more violent atmosphere. “Youth can now use electronic media to embarrass, harass, or threaten their peers” (Technology). This is something many schools are trying to prevent from happening with the ban of cell phones.
Electronic victimization is something that could easily be avoided if everyone kept their conversations to themselves. But most people don’t seem to realize that there is an outside world around them, and seem to expect others to not listen in. With most people being oblivious to the real world, arguments tend to evolve. “67% of victims say the aggression they experienced was through instant messaging” (Ferdon, U.S Department of Health and Human Services). This goes back to the point that many people are more likely to confront others either over the Internet or through text messages because they feel more confident in themselves that way. Rosen also has a way of explaining this by saying, “Wireless technology is booming so quickly and wireless phones have become so popular, that the rules on wireless etiquette are still evolving” (465). This shows that we have evolved too quickly for people to know what is ethically right when talking on cell phones. Hopefully, if we give it time, everyone will start to realize what the correct etiquette is.
Cell phones in Rosen’s eye are not good in any way, shape, or form. She never once says to not use them, but she makes it very clear with her many arguments that she doesn’t support them. Many people have this opinion but they don’t look to the positive side that includes how it boosts our productivity and our knowledge. In the book Impact of Cellphone Technology on Users by Robins Ezenezi he fully supports cell phones and the way they are developing our world and also third world countries. “Aside from being able to make phone calls anywhere and anytime, wireless technology has ushered in profound social changes that permeate businesses, commerce, medicine, and education” (Ezenezi). This doesn’t exactly show his viewpoint but he has a more positive outlook then that of Rosen. He shows some of the benefits of new and improved mobile technology on countries of Africa such as Nigeria. With the new technology, it has allowed them to create more jobs for citizens and has increased the economy.
Cell phones can provide many more benefits then what Rosen states. They can allow anyone to get a hold of someone in times of need, they provide a way of communication to family members who might not get seen often, and they allow us to make friends. Rosen does point out that during a trip to China, they used a cell phone to get in contact with a member of their group that got too far ahead. At the time Rosen was thankful for that ability and it shows that she does agree with using cell phones in times of need. If smart phones hadn’t been created, Rosen would probably be okay with the way cell phones used to work, they were simple. They were designed for instant communication when in need and they should have continued to be used like that. But in this era of smart phones, we have instant access to information, news, and games on handheld devices that draw users into deeper engagement with their mobile devices (Rainie). Within that era, it has caused Rosen to dislike cell phones because of the constant distraction. Cell phones have adapted into a form of entertainment rather than a form of communication.
With the creation of cell phones many consequences have come, some being good and some being bad. It has allowed for people to have a sense of security and also entertainment wherever they go. As Rosen says “They link us to those we know, but remove us from the strangers who surround us in public space” (472). We use them to feel comfortable in awkward situations and to determine almost our wealth factor. If you see someone who has a nice phone and is always talking on it or using it you assume they have the money and the popularity to do so. When you’re in public and you don’t feel comfortable, one of the automatic things to do is to find somebody to talk to. Now that we are so awkward in public, we don’t feel we can talk to others. Cell phones are simply making us socially awkward all we have to do is simply pull out our cell phones and call up somebody we do know, even if we don’t have anything to talk about. Like Rosen says, they encourage talk, not conversation (472). We talk on our cell phones to feel like we fit into society, and it’s not just one person that does it, it’s many.
Cell phone users as a whole society have changed the meaning of what cell phones are. They no longer are for simple conversation. We have changed them to becoming a part of ourselves, a part of our entertainment. This has not been a healthy change for us. It not only annoys others, it distracts us from doing simple tasks in life, and has become dangerous with things like texting and driving. Teens are becoming aggressive towards each other and depressed within themselves. Adults are doing it as well and it’s not a positive lifestyle for us to have. All technology users need to unplug for a while and disconnect from community life (472). If that would happen, then maybe cell phones would go back to being for safety and family connections. And finally cell phones would no longer define our selves.
Works Cited
"Distracted Driving." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html>.
Ezenezi, Robins E. Impact of Cellphone Technology on Users. N.p.: Xlibris Corporation, 2010. Print.
Ferdon, Corinne David, and Marci Feldman Hertz. "Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC Issue Brief for Researchers." Fresno State. Henry Madden Library, 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://xerxes.calstate.edu/fresno/articles/record?id=FETCH-eric_primary_ED5116470>.
Ferdon, Corinne David, and Marci Feldman Hertz. "Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC Issue Brief for Researchers." U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/Electronic_Aggression_Researcher_Brief-a.pdf>.
Goggin, Gerard. Cell Phone Culture: Mobile Technology in Everyday Life. London: Routledge, 2006. Print.
Rainie, Lee, and Mary Madden. "Adults and Cell Phone Distractions." Pew Internet. Pew Research Center, 18 June 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.distraction.gov/download/research-pdf/Adults-Cellphone-Distractions.pdf>.
Rosen, Christine. "Our Cell Phones, Our Selves." Writing Analytically. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2012. 457-72. Print.
Strayer, David L., Frank A. Drews, and William A. Johnston. "Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving." Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. American Psychological Association, 2003. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.distraction.gov/download/research-pdf/failures_of_visual_attention.pdf>.
"Technology and Youth Violence." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/electronicaggression/>.
Professor Daniel Frank
English 10
11 March 2013
Long Live the Cell Phone User
In today’s society, cell phones are a major part of everyday life. According to Christine Rosen, the author of Our Cell Phones, Our Selves “The reason we answer them whenever they ring is a question better left to sociology and psychology” (466). Many people seem to not give a thought about answering their phones wherever they are. Everyone does it now a day I’m sure you’re even guilty of walking down the street talking on a phone. But when cell phones are now becoming an attachment to us, it turns into an epidemic that’s starting to spread all across the globe. No longer are they an item we have once only used for safety reasons, but they are now becoming pleasure items. Cell phones are literally becoming the own person’s self. And this is becoming not only an annoyance and distraction to others, but a danger as well.
Rosen provides many solid arguments in her article; the main one being (as the title says) cell phones are starting to take over people’s lives. She gives many examples from others with their opinions on topics, such as how others view people on their cell phones, a view of the dangers, and how everyone is always within reach. An example Rosen provides are that violent fights have started because of the annoyance of others talking on their phones in public. Within her essay she covers all the basics of how cell phones started and of how they evolved. The importance of Rosen’s essay is to display how negative cell phone use is becoming and to encourage others to start using them less.
Cell phone use started around 1983 and has continued to grow with new items, such as smart phones, being created today. The reason for this growth according to Gerard Goggin author of Cell Phone Culture is because of the user. Users want to be able to do what they are capable of on a computer on their mobile phones. And what the users want they get, cell phones can now surf the web and even talk to you. Cell phones, as they have developed, have become much smaller even though their capability has gotten much larger. Goggin says, “In contemporary study and theory of the cell phone and mobile media, we encounter time and time again the fetish of the user. Technology needs to be received, completed, supplemented, and found wanting, by the user” (Goggin 208). In his book he documents how cell phones started. Rosen only hinted at this. Goggin blames the user for all the technological advances and why we have become so addicted to them.
Rosen would agree with Goggin as she says, “Phones are becoming your Swiss army knife” (460). If you have a question you can simply hop on the Internet and get it answered right then and there. You don’t have to go to the library and do research anymore, and with such simplicity comes desire. Because of having this major desire for cell phones, it means people are being on their phones all the time. Rosen brings up the issue of technology addiction that is supported in Mary Madden and Lee Rainie’s article Adults and Cell Phone Distractions. They have produced a study that gives many statistics on people driving and texting and even people simply walking and texting. One study showed that 82% of American adults who own cell phones; fully 17% say they have bumped into another person or an object because they were distracted by talking or texting on their mobile phones (Rainie).
With the number of people using cell phones either in cars or just while walking being so high, it can cause a lot of danger. Rosen also goes into detail about the information she found with the dangers of driving and texting. Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving has become one of the most dangerous activities a person can do. Your attention is diverted away from the road just to look at a simple message from somebody. And driving is not the time you want to do that. Many other drivers could be doing the same and if nobody is looking at the road then how can you expect people to drive safely. In David Strayers, Frank Drews, and William Johnstons essay Cell Phone- Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving they provide five experiments showing how using cell phones while driving affects your attention on the road. Some of their experiments included breaking time and acceleration reaction while having a cell phone distraction. While Rosen says “In 2001, 54% of drivers have a wireless phone in the vehicle which is around 600,000 drivers using a phone while driving” (462). In comparing Rosen’s and Strayers research it shows that over half of the drivers on the road will be distracted both attention-wise and in their response time.
With the inability of drivers being able to put their cell phones down, it has caused many deaths from traffic accidents. In another article published by the CDC labeled Distracted Driving more then 1,000 people died in crashes and around 24,000 people were injured in 2009 because of cell phone use while driving. This just shows how people cannot take the time to drive safely by putting their phones down, which is a sign of addiction. One of Rosen’s messages is to get people to see how cell phones are affecting lives and to make us use them a little less. With cell phones taking lives, many states have banned the use of cell phones while driving. But just like people get away with drinking and driving, many people also get away with texting and driving.
We have tried to stop people from using them, especially while driving, by making certain laws. In order to use a cell phone in a car, you must have a hands free device such as an earpiece. These have become fairly popular but only a small portion of the population actually uses them. Most people feel as if they don’t need them because they simply won’t get caught. But little do all those people realize the danger they put themselves and other drivers in. Rosen has an idea on how to prevent cell phone use. She suggests that we treat it the way we now treat tobacco (471). This means we would ban cell phones from certain areas. But with a large amount of the population using cell phones it can be hard to compare it to that of tobacco use. In the past many people used tobacco, but once it was discovered that it had bad health effects, people stopped. Unless they find negative health affects with cell phones it is likely that nothing will change.
Another of Rosen’s big issues with cell phones is that people will just openly have conversations with others in public. And some of the things that people will say are shocking. It can easily hurt or offend others that may be listening in. It has been linked in many studies such as Corinne David-Ferdon and Marci Feldman Hertz essay titled Electronic Media and Youth Violence that many young people are becoming aggressive towards others while using electronic devices. This relates to when Rosen mentions how she has seen many encounters that have escalated into very rude conversations and sometimes violence (464). There is an etiquette that people need to learn when using their cell phones that can avoid these types of situations. This etiquette may vary from person to person but it consists of only saying what may be acceptable at the time. If there is others around you need to keep major issues in private, but it seems some just can’t keep their mouths shut.
Many young teens have been given cell phones from their parents, who see it as necessary for safety reasons. But according to the Electronic Media and Youth Violence (Peer Reviewed Essay) many teens report that they feel better about themselves on-line and with cell phones than they do in real life. This is because they can create fake personas and either act or say stuff they wouldn’t when approached in real life. With the ease of having such technology at their fingertips, kids are now acting aggressive, just as adults do when they get into battles with others about private issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have written many articles about this type of aggression that include Electronic Aggression and Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC issue brief for researchers. Both articles support Rosen’s point that cell phones have turned our world into a place that has a more violent atmosphere. “Youth can now use electronic media to embarrass, harass, or threaten their peers” (Technology). This is something many schools are trying to prevent from happening with the ban of cell phones.
Electronic victimization is something that could easily be avoided if everyone kept their conversations to themselves. But most people don’t seem to realize that there is an outside world around them, and seem to expect others to not listen in. With most people being oblivious to the real world, arguments tend to evolve. “67% of victims say the aggression they experienced was through instant messaging” (Ferdon, U.S Department of Health and Human Services). This goes back to the point that many people are more likely to confront others either over the Internet or through text messages because they feel more confident in themselves that way. Rosen also has a way of explaining this by saying, “Wireless technology is booming so quickly and wireless phones have become so popular, that the rules on wireless etiquette are still evolving” (465). This shows that we have evolved too quickly for people to know what is ethically right when talking on cell phones. Hopefully, if we give it time, everyone will start to realize what the correct etiquette is.
Cell phones in Rosen’s eye are not good in any way, shape, or form. She never once says to not use them, but she makes it very clear with her many arguments that she doesn’t support them. Many people have this opinion but they don’t look to the positive side that includes how it boosts our productivity and our knowledge. In the book Impact of Cellphone Technology on Users by Robins Ezenezi he fully supports cell phones and the way they are developing our world and also third world countries. “Aside from being able to make phone calls anywhere and anytime, wireless technology has ushered in profound social changes that permeate businesses, commerce, medicine, and education” (Ezenezi). This doesn’t exactly show his viewpoint but he has a more positive outlook then that of Rosen. He shows some of the benefits of new and improved mobile technology on countries of Africa such as Nigeria. With the new technology, it has allowed them to create more jobs for citizens and has increased the economy.
Cell phones can provide many more benefits then what Rosen states. They can allow anyone to get a hold of someone in times of need, they provide a way of communication to family members who might not get seen often, and they allow us to make friends. Rosen does point out that during a trip to China, they used a cell phone to get in contact with a member of their group that got too far ahead. At the time Rosen was thankful for that ability and it shows that she does agree with using cell phones in times of need. If smart phones hadn’t been created, Rosen would probably be okay with the way cell phones used to work, they were simple. They were designed for instant communication when in need and they should have continued to be used like that. But in this era of smart phones, we have instant access to information, news, and games on handheld devices that draw users into deeper engagement with their mobile devices (Rainie). Within that era, it has caused Rosen to dislike cell phones because of the constant distraction. Cell phones have adapted into a form of entertainment rather than a form of communication.
With the creation of cell phones many consequences have come, some being good and some being bad. It has allowed for people to have a sense of security and also entertainment wherever they go. As Rosen says “They link us to those we know, but remove us from the strangers who surround us in public space” (472). We use them to feel comfortable in awkward situations and to determine almost our wealth factor. If you see someone who has a nice phone and is always talking on it or using it you assume they have the money and the popularity to do so. When you’re in public and you don’t feel comfortable, one of the automatic things to do is to find somebody to talk to. Now that we are so awkward in public, we don’t feel we can talk to others. Cell phones are simply making us socially awkward all we have to do is simply pull out our cell phones and call up somebody we do know, even if we don’t have anything to talk about. Like Rosen says, they encourage talk, not conversation (472). We talk on our cell phones to feel like we fit into society, and it’s not just one person that does it, it’s many.
Cell phone users as a whole society have changed the meaning of what cell phones are. They no longer are for simple conversation. We have changed them to becoming a part of ourselves, a part of our entertainment. This has not been a healthy change for us. It not only annoys others, it distracts us from doing simple tasks in life, and has become dangerous with things like texting and driving. Teens are becoming aggressive towards each other and depressed within themselves. Adults are doing it as well and it’s not a positive lifestyle for us to have. All technology users need to unplug for a while and disconnect from community life (472). If that would happen, then maybe cell phones would go back to being for safety and family connections. And finally cell phones would no longer define our selves.
Works Cited
"Distracted Driving." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html>.
Ezenezi, Robins E. Impact of Cellphone Technology on Users. N.p.: Xlibris Corporation, 2010. Print.
Ferdon, Corinne David, and Marci Feldman Hertz. "Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC Issue Brief for Researchers." Fresno State. Henry Madden Library, 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://xerxes.calstate.edu/fresno/articles/record?id=FETCH-eric_primary_ED5116470>.
Ferdon, Corinne David, and Marci Feldman Hertz. "Electronic Media and Youth Violence: A CDC Issue Brief for Researchers." U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/Electronic_Aggression_Researcher_Brief-a.pdf>.
Goggin, Gerard. Cell Phone Culture: Mobile Technology in Everyday Life. London: Routledge, 2006. Print.
Rainie, Lee, and Mary Madden. "Adults and Cell Phone Distractions." Pew Internet. Pew Research Center, 18 June 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.distraction.gov/download/research-pdf/Adults-Cellphone-Distractions.pdf>.
Rosen, Christine. "Our Cell Phones, Our Selves." Writing Analytically. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2012. 457-72. Print.
Strayer, David L., Frank A. Drews, and William A. Johnston. "Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving." Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. American Psychological Association, 2003. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.distraction.gov/download/research-pdf/failures_of_visual_attention.pdf>.
"Technology and Youth Violence." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/electronicaggression/>.